Hello Wildcat Motohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404585&blogid=1766
Moto and Me: My year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom is a recent nonfiction children's book written by wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas. Sometime ago, she lived out in the African bush in a tent on the Masai Mara wildlife reserve in Kenya. Originally, she had only planned on staying just a few months, but instead fell i]]>TeresaM-R2018-03-18T14:53:54ZMoto and Me: My year as a Wildcat's Foster Mom is a recent nonfiction children's book written by wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas. Sometime ago, she lived out in the African bush in a tent on the Masai Mara wildlife reserve in Kenya. Originally, she had only planned on staying just a few months, but instead fell in love with the area and ended up remaining there for almost three years taking animal photos.

The book starts out describing her close encounters with various wildlife such as hyenas, hippos, and snakes just to name a few. However, her most exciting, enduring and most heartfelt relationship was with a lost and helpless serval kitten who became separated from his mom during a forest fire. Local reserve animal rangers ask Suzi to be the two-week-old serval's foster mom, to teach him how to survive, and when he was old enough , to release him back into the wild.

Suzi names the young serval cat Moto, which means "fire" in Swahili, the language spoken by most people living in the Masai Mara region. She feeds him, bathes and brushes him and presents him with a plush toy named Mr. Ducky. In time, she allows him to venture outdoors to learn to catch his own prey , under her watchful eye.

This informative book boasts many pleasing and amusing photos, as well as very good information on the caring of servals, ( and no, they should never be considered by anyone as potential pets). It especially resonated with me because it carefully links the importance between wildlife rescue and release. It's a winner for anyone in love with all things wild and wild felines in particular.

]]>Hey Dreamerhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404583&blogid=1766
I keep reading and re-reading Jason Reynolds' new book,&#160; &#160; For Every One .&#160; The book is actually a letter in the form of a long poem that Reynolds performed at the Kennedy Center in 2011. It's a beautiful letter of encouragement to teens (or anyone) learning to make sense of their dreams. I hope to gift]]>AndreaV2018-03-16T12:05:41ZI keep reading and re-reading Jason Reynolds' new book, For Every One. The book is actually a letter in the form of a long poem that Reynolds performed at the Kennedy Center in 2011. It's a beautiful letter of encouragement to teens (or anyone) learning to make sense of their dreams. I hope to gift it to every graduate I know. The official release is April 10 and many copies are on order for KPL locations. You can place a hold through our website or by asking in person.

I was happy to get a chance to read an advanced reader copy through our Teen Top Ten program here at the library. In this program, teens have access to hundreds of Advanced Reader Copies given to KPL from teen publishers. In exchange for access to not-yet-published books, teens write short reviews that get sent back to the publishers. To date, Kalamazoo's Teen Top Ten group has written over 250 reviews and has 60 registered members. We'd love to have you join us!

]]>Marley Dias Gets it Done: And So Can You!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404580&blogid=1766
In Marley Dias’s new book , the founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks describes the background of the movement that she created and how young people can organize to change the world. Dias writes about how reading Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming &#160;changed her life, how she realized that there were not nearl]]>BillC2018-03-15T13:44:41ZIn Marley Dias’s new book, the founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks describes the background of the movement that she created and how young people can organize to change the world. Dias writes about how reading Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming changed her life, how she realized that there were not nearly enough books that reflected kids like her. Her school reading list at the time was filled with stories about white boys and dogs: Shiloh, Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows… all great books, she says, but why no black authors? Great question. When Marley’s mom asked her what she would change about the world, she said she’d like to make it so that kids everywhere could read books with black girls - books that accurately reflect the wide range of kids' identity and experience. Children are better off when they see themselves reflected in the books that they read. As Jacqueline Woodson says, "Seeing a story on a page about a black child written by a black author ... legitimizes your own existence in the world, because you're a part of something else. 'Look, I'm here in this book.'"

Marley Dias's activism has been effective in motivating change within the institutions that control how books are created and discovered. Read Marley Dias’s story, as she tells it, because it is inspiring. She includes practical information about how to be an effective activist and how their adults can help. Young people have always changed the world and Marley Dias, with support from caring adults, truly has done so. Here's an excerpt to get you started reading Marley's book right now, if you so choose.

]]>Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404547&blogid=1766
Gary Schmidt , two-time Newbery Honor-winning author and National Book Award Finalist, offers an emotional and heartbreaking account of love and loss in his latest teen book&#160; Orbiting Jupiter .
After being incarcerated at a juvenile facility, Joseph is released into the care of a loving foster family. Though ]]>KathrynB2018-03-11T15:20:56ZGary Schmidt, two-time Newbery Honor-winning author and National Book Award Finalist, offers an emotional and heartbreaking account of love and loss in his latest teen book Orbiting Jupiter.

After being incarcerated at a juvenile facility, Joseph is released into the care of a loving foster family. Though released into a new future, Joseph cannot separate himself from his past: a daughter named Jupiter. The product of a teenage pregnancy, Jupiter was relocated during Joseph's incarceration, and no one will tell him where she is. Joseph will sacrifice whatever he must to finally meet his daughter.

With themes of teenage pregnancy and juvenile incarceration, this book seems as if it would be hard to read. To the contrary, Schmidt's portrayal of Joseph, his foster-brother Jack, and the world in which they live give the reader an intense emotional connection that is somehow heartwarming and heartbreaking.

]]>A Walk with Mehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404523&blogid=1766
Let Gwen Frostic take you on a walk with her amazing original block-prints of elements of the nature.
A walk with Me was illustrated and written by the famous Michigan block printing artist Gwen Frostic back in 1958. Sixty years have passed by, but I can still feel and relate to her love towards the nature thr]]>AliceL2018-03-06T19:48:07ZLet Gwen Frostic take you on a walk with her amazing original block-prints of elements of the nature.

A walk with Me was illustrated and written by the famous Michigan block printing artist Gwen Frostic back in 1958. Sixty years have passed by, but I can still feel and relate to her love towards the nature through her delicate poems and block-prints – the birds, the moon, the sea - my heart was so full as I was turning the pages. I don’t think anyone can describe and capture the nature better than she did.

This book is not JUST another book. It is an art. The paper, the colorful block-prints on each page ...Oh! It is a pleasure just to look at this book. I admire the time and effort she spent on creating these marvelous art books.

]]>Fantasylandhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404515&blogid=1766
The country’s initial devotion to religious and intellectual freedom, Andersen argues, has over the centuries morphed into a fierce entitlement to custom-made reality. So your right to believe in angels and your neighbor’s right to believe in U.F.O.s and Rachel Dolezal’s right to believe she is black lead naturally to]]>RyanG2018-03-06T14:36:48ZThe country’s initial devotion to religious and intellectual freedom, Andersen argues, has over the centuries morphed into a fierce entitlement to custom-made reality. So your right to believe in angels and your neighbor’s right to believe in U.F.O.s and Rachel Dolezal’s right to believe she is black lead naturally to our president’s right to insist that his crowds were bigger.—New York Times’ Hanna Rosin

According to author Kurt Andersen, America is a nation of grifters and the grifted. His historical survey of America’s credulous embrace of the superstitious and various forms of magical thinking begins with Martin Luther’s break with the Catholic Church and quickly transitions to a scrutinizing inquiry into the extremely bizarre practices of the puritans and pilgrims. They were arguably the Islamic State of the 17th Century when one considers their extremism. He finishes this readable, breezy examination of uncritical, irrational cult thinking, by arguing that America has long had a unique and troubling relationship between fact and fiction, reality vs fantasy—a bond between utter nonsense and the social and legal freedoms to defend that very nonsense. Example after example, from religious hocus pocus to New Age fads marketed as science, Andersen rips apart America’s infatuation with constructed realities. There are uneven, somewhat sloppy areas of argument when Andersen attempts to draw threads of historical continuity that when situated under the microscope, possess reductive claims. He clearly needs to read a bit further about postmodern thinking and its leading thinkers because he does a disservice to the reader when attempting to link them to various cultural and social developments of the 1970’s. However, Andersen’s book will appeal to skeptics who have grown weary of America’s ‘if you can invent and sell it to the masses, well, then it must be true’ bar for reality. ]]>How to Eat a Lobster : And Other Edible Enigmas Explainedhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404500&blogid=1766
I think this must be one of the smallest books the library owns (4-3/4" x 6"), but there is certainly a lot in it. As implied by the title, it is a book of procedure. How many would know that it takes six tools (skewer, towel or dishcloth, mallet, kitchen knife, butter knife, and paring knife) to open a coconut? Step-b]]>David D.2018-03-01T19:00:07Z]]>Future Shockhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404492&blogid=1766
Naomi Alderman’s fantastic feminist allegory, The Power , begins with teenage girls realizing they can conduct electricity through their hands and how that can come in “handy.” Research into the phenomenon uncovers that all newborn female babies have the physical trait that makes it possible to conduct electricity]]>Steve S2018-02-28T10:26:53ZNaomi Alderman’s fantastic feminist allegory, The Power, begins with teenage girls realizing they can conduct electricity through their hands and how that can come in “handy.” Research into the phenomenon uncovers that all newborn female babies have the physical trait that makes it possible to conduct electricity and teenage girls learn that they can bring the ability to life in older women.

Women led revolutions start to take place around the world and women move into positions of power in government, the criminal underworld, and as spiritual leaders. But possibly the most satisfying moments are when women are able to fight back against their attackers. Great companion to the #MeToo movement.

The New York Times Book Review named Alderman’s meditation on power one of the 10 best books of 2017.

]]>The final wordshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404433&blogid=1766
“You hop into a car, race off in no particular direction, and blam, hit a power pole. Then it’s off to jail.” Those arresting lines begin the story Triumph Over The Grave , one of the five stories included in Denis Johnson’s posthumous collection The Largesse of the Sea Maiden . Johnson, who passed away last May afte]]>mykyl2018-02-20T10:34:35ZTriumph Over The Grave, one of the five stories included in Denis Johnson’s posthumous collection The Largesse of the Sea Maiden. Johnson, who passed away last May after battling liver cancer, gave grace and significance to the desperate and damaged characters who inhabited his stories - particularly in his masterpiece story collection, Jesus’ Son. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden, which sadly his publisher says will be the final words from Denis Johnson, solidifies Johnson’s place as a true master of his craft and one of the greatest literary voices of his generation.]]>Hot Pink!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404425&blogid=1766
New York Fashion Week has come to a close, but London
Fashion Week is just starting up! That’s right, we are right in the middle of
the first Fashion Month of 2018, a time I personally refer to as The Highlight
of my Instagram Feed.
&#160;
While it is always a delight to see the latest trends sashay
down t]]>MilanH2018-02-15T16:58:25ZNew York Fashion Week has come to a close, but London
Fashion Week is just starting up! That’s right, we are right in the middle of
the first Fashion Month of 2018, a time I personally refer to as The Highlight
of my Instagram Feed.

While it is always a delight to see the latest trends sashay
down the runway, a true fashionista knows that you can’t really understand
where fashion is going until you know where it’s been. Many are familiar with
the revolutionary influence of Coco Chanel, but few know about her contemporary,
the avant garde visionary Elsa Schiaparelli.

A mastermind ahead of her time, Elsa Schiaparelli set in
motion all of the fashion paradigms we take for granted today. Make sure to
check out this book to read about the inventor of runway shows, ready to wear
collections, bolero jackets, culottes and most importantly—hot pink!

]]>Convictedhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404397&blogid=1766
Jameel McGee and Andrew Collins visited the Powell branch in 2016 for the Embracing Forgiveness program. In 2017, they published Convicted: A Crooked Cop, an Innocent Man, and an Unlikely Journey of Friendship and Forgiveness. &#160;Andrew was a dirty cop in Benton Harbor who caused Jameel McGee, a completely innocent]]>ElyseM2018-02-12T17:56:40ZConvicted: A Crooked Cop, an Innocent Man, and an Unlikely Journey of Friendship and Forgiveness. Andrew was a dirty cop in Benton Harbor who caused Jameel McGee, a completely innocent man, to be arrested and imprisoned. Andrew employed many dishonest and illegal shortcuts in order to more easily obtain search warrants, make arrests stick, and skim from confiscated money. He did these things because he believed he was doing his part to clean up the city, and thought he had earned the right to do so. The book's chapters alternate between Andrew and Jameel's perspectives. I have a powerful quote from Jameel's reflections while in prison that I want to share with you: "I'd spent so much time being angry at everyone who put me here...I had to stop blaming everyone else and spending all my time being consumed by anger and a desire for revenge. All anger had done so far was turn me into someone I didn't like, someone I did not want to be," (107).

Jameel brings up a key point here. Both men saw the need to change their ways because they didn't like who they had become. Andrew never envisioned that his childhood dream to become a cop would warp into a corrupt, self-serving role. Jameel saw how his anger affected him and sought a new path. The two also found religion, and that helped pave the way for their new outlooks. I have to commend both men. Andrew admitted he was wrong and tried to amend his errors. We all know how hard it is to admit when we're wrong and to openly and sincerely apologize for it. Jameel was dealt a bad hand but chose to forgive and move forward. The story inspires even more so once Jameel and Andrew meet after the main events of the book and develop not only a working relationship, but a friendship. I highly encourage you to check out this amazing story.

]]>Future Home of the Living Godhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404393&blogid=1766
Louise Erdrich's latest novel, Future Home of the Living God , is a suspenseful and topical story, covering themes including reproductive rights, the treatment of Native Americans, and religious intolerance.
Cedar Songmaker is a young, pregnant woman eagerly anticipating motherhood while at the same time in fear f]]>KitA2018-02-10T09:08:22ZLouise Erdrich's latest novel, Future Home of the Living God, is a suspenseful and topical story, covering themes including reproductive rights, the treatment of Native Americans, and religious intolerance.

Cedar Songmaker is a young, pregnant woman eagerly anticipating motherhood while at the same time in fear for her own survival and that of her baby. The book takes the form of a journal she is writing to her unborn child, recounting the events leading up to its birth, in case she does not live to tell the tale in person. The reason? Many biological organisms are no longer developing as expected. Scientists aren't sure exactly what is happening—evolution is described as running backward or sideways, and the government's response is increasingly autocratic.

Cedar seeks out her Native American birth mother in order to find out about any genetic diseases in her family, and in the process she is forced to come to terms with the truth of her own origins and her adoptive white parents. Cedar is a spirited protagonist and her personal situation, as well as the environmental and societal changes surrounding it, cause her to question who and what she can trust and to take drastic measures to keep her freedom.

]]>A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwicheshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404389&blogid=1766
Despite the title,&#160; A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches isn't actually all that upsetting. What it is, however, is an insanely great cookbook about- yes- sandwiches from Tyler Kord, owner and head chef at No. 7 Sub in New York. Hilariously written with lots of attitude and great stories surrounding each]]>Stewart F.2018-02-08T16:49:18ZA Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches isn't actually all that upsetting. What it is, however, is an insanely great cookbook about- yes- sandwiches from Tyler Kord, owner and head chef at No. 7 Sub in New York. Hilariously written with lots of attitude and great stories surrounding each (delicious) sandwich, along with mouthwatering photography by none other than William Wegman (famous for taking photos of his pet Weimaraner dogs wearing costumes), this is well worth a read if you love sandwiches, or funny writing, or both.]]>Trashedhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404381&blogid=1766
I was talking to my coworker Anastasia about my new year's resolution to reduce my output of household garbage, and she recommended Trashed by Derf Backderf to me. His real name is actually John, and he also wrote&#160; My Friend Dahmer , which was recently made into a movie. Published in 2015,&#160; Trashed is a gr]]>ElyseM2018-02-07T15:45:51ZTrashed by Derf Backderf to me. His real name is actually John, and he also wrote My Friend Dahmer, which was recently made into a movie. Published in 2015, Trashed is a graphic novel that blends the fictional narrative of a garbageman with plenty of research and statistics about the history of waste management, and its present practices and problems. The story part of the book included some great humor and laugh-out-loud moments; the facts alongside it surprised and fascinated me. This book may inspire you to think differently about your everyday habits and the products you use. If you need some ideas on how to lessen the amount of trash you produce, type in "zero waste" in KPL's catalog or look into some of the online blogs of zero wasters. The zero waste lifestyle may seem extreme, but we can all take ideas from it to try to do our own part to address this environmental issue.]]>Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cottenhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404366&blogid=1766
I'm excited about the new picture book biography of Elizabeth Cotten , Libba . Elizabeth Cotten is best known for her song "Freight Train". She taught herself to play guitar and wrote the now-famous song by the time she was eleven. Playing and singing was deferred while Elizabeth Cotten made a life in segregated Nor]]>BillC2018-02-02T11:36:08ZI'm excited about the new picture book biography of Elizabeth Cotten, Libba. Elizabeth Cotten is best known for her song "Freight Train". She taught herself to play guitar and wrote the now-famous song by the time she was eleven. Playing and singing was deferred while Elizabeth Cotten made a life in segregated North Carolina. Then, in her 50s, she moved to Washington, D.C., and began working in a department store. It was there she met Ruth Crawford Seeger, part of that famous American folk-music family. She began working for them as a housekeeper and started playing again.

This new picture book biography is important because it tells the story of a hugely influential American songwriter. Written by singer-songwriter Laura Vieirs with illustrations by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, there is a lot of American history addressed in Libba: music, guitar, segregation, privilege, and much more. It's a great one to share with your family.

]]>Fallen Gloryhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404362&blogid=1766
Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of History's Greatest Buildings is the story of 21 vanished buildings from all over the world and from all time periods. Most readers would know these buildings by name and location but wouldn't have much more information on them than that. This book fills in those gaps. Some of the]]>David D.2018-02-01T20:52:30ZFallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of History's Greatest Buildings is the story of 21 vanished buildings from all over the world and from all time periods. Most readers would know these buildings by name and location but wouldn't have much more information on them than that. This book fills in those gaps. Some of them are ones that most readers probably have not heard of at all, such as the Karakorum in Orkhon Valley, Mongolia, the Fortress of Golconda in Hyderabad, India, the Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong, or, closer to home, the Pruitt-Igoe in St. Louis, Missouri. Many photographs and drawings add to the quality of this large, well-documented work. Prolific mystery writer Alexander McCall Smith calls this 'the most interesting book I have come across this year. This is a magnificent study of buildings and other structures that have disappeared.']]>What is a bardo?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404328&blogid=1766
I was introduced to George Saunders on a list of “smart summer reads” that I found at Cody’s books in Berkeley, California and have loved his books ever since. However, I didn’t make it far the first time I picked up his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo . I was turned off by the citations below the statements ]]>Steve S2018-01-29T10:40:10ZI was introduced to George Saunders on a list of “smart summer reads” that I found at Cody’s books in Berkeley, California and have loved his books ever since. However, I didn’t make it far the first time I picked up his first novel,Lincoln in the Bardo. I was turned off by the citations below the statements from every character and I didn’t really know what he was doing. I had not read the jacket cover or anything about the book.

Then I saw Lincoln in the Bardo on several of my library colleagues’ best of 2017 lists and my wife enjoyed it so I gave it another try.

Bardo is a term that comes from Tibetan Buddhism signifying the state of existence in between death and rebirth, but in the book it seems closer to the idea of purgatory. Saunders was inspired to write the novel after reading about Abraham Lincoln making several visits to the crypt to hold the body of his young son Willie who passed away at the age of 11. He started to imagine what that depth of grief must have been like, especially as the casualties of the Civil War started to escalate.

Saunders has no lack of imagination. I recommend taking this sometimes sweet, sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying and sometimes overwhelmingly sad journey into the bardo.

]]>Bird Balloon Bear by Il Sung Nahttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404306&blogid=1766
Many of my family's all time favorite picture books were created by Il Sung Na. &#160; Bird, Balloon, Bear is a new favorite. In this charming story, Bird, is looking for a friend when Bird spots Bear. As Bird works up the courage to say "Hi", Balloon shows up. Bear and Balloon run off to play and Bird steps back s]]>AndreaV2018-01-23T11:22:29ZIl Sung Na. Bird, Balloon, Bear is a new favorite. In this charming story, Bird, is looking for a friend when Bird spots Bear. As Bird works up the courage to say "Hi", Balloon shows up. Bear and Balloon run off to play and Bird steps back shyly. You'll have to check out what happens next is this sweet story. Be sure to take a careful look at the beautiful illustrations while you're at it.]]>Stolen Wordshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404305&blogid=1766
During the Native American Heritage program last November, I
sat listening to one of the presenters explain how as a young child she was
adopted away from her Anishinaabe heritage.&#160;
Now, as an adult, she was determined to learn the culture and language
of her elders.&#160; This memory came rushing
back to me]]>KalaL2018-01-23T10:42:36ZDuring the Native American Heritage program last November, I
sat listening to one of the presenters explain how as a young child she was
adopted away from her Anishinaabe heritage.
Now, as an adult, she was determined to learn the culture and language
of her elders. This memory came rushing
back to me when I picked up this book, Stolen
Words by Melanie Florence. This nicely
illustrated picture book introduces the not-so-long-ago practice of the Canadian
residential school system that separated young Indigenous children from their
families. In this story, a young Cree
girl asks her grandfather to tell her words in his Cree language. When he explains that his Cree words were
stolen from him as a child, the little girl decides to help her grandfather get
his words back. Historical picture books
are great way to introduce young children to the past and to discuss how the
past and the present are always connected.

]]>A new republichttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404268&blogid=1766
Classic European portraiture gets a new face in the work of artist Kehinde Wiley, whose striking paintings portray modern African American subjects in poses that mimic European masters in the book&#160; Kehinde Wiley : a new republic , which is part of the&#160; KPL social justice collection . Wiley's work shines a l]]>KristenL2018-01-18T13:24:59ZKehinde Wiley : a new republic, which is part of the KPL social justice collection. Wiley's work shines a light on the lack of African American faces in historical and cultural contexts. There is also a documentary about Kehinde, available on DVD or through Hoopla.]]>Poems come out of wonder, not out of knowinghttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404232&blogid=1766
Save the date: Kwame Alexander is coming to visit Kalamazoo on
February 28 th !&#160;
In the book&#160; Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets , Kwame Alexander,
with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, use original poems to celebrate twenty poets who, for the three authors of this book, had to be interest]]>BillC2018-01-12T14:17:47ZSave the date: Kwame Alexander is coming to visit Kalamazoo on
February 28th!

In the book Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets, Kwame Alexander,
with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, use original poems to celebrate twenty poets who, for the three authors of this book, had to be interesting
people with poems that they loved. I love how Kwame Alexander opens the book
with the premise that poetry can be fresh and freeing. You can make up your own
rules about writing! What a wonderful notion that the connections around
different senses of words and the way punctuation looks on the page conveys a
feeling to other people. These original elements of style are unique to the
poet and their poetry. The poems in the first part pay tribute to Nikki Giovanni, Naomi Shihab-Nye, Langston
Hughes, and others in this way.

Poetry expands our thinking about everyday things. You definitely
do not need to know the twenty poets that the poems in Out of Wonder celebrate.
You might want to read them after you read these poems celebrating Robert
Frost, Gwendolyn Brooks, Billy Collins, Chief Dan George, Mary Oliver, and many
more. The collage illustrations by Ekua Holmes, who also illustrated Carole Boston Weatherford's Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, add to the
sense of the poems and make it even more accessible to young readers and
listener watchers. The title, Out of Wonder, Alexander writes in
the preface, comes from a quote by renowned poet and children’s book author
Lucille Clifton who wrote, “Poems come out of wonder, not out of knowing.”

For more information about Kwame, visit his website. His new
literary focused web show, Bookish, airs weekly on FB
Watch.

]]>Turner, Monet and Twomblyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404220&blogid=1766
Culled together from an exhibit at the Tate Modern Museum in 2012, Turner, Monet, Twombly: Later Paintings is a handsome examination of the influences of nature, light and atmosphere upon the works of these three legendary painters. The book illustrates both the similarities and the differences between the three pa]]>RyanG2018-01-09T12:37:34ZTurner, Monet, Twombly: Later Paintings is a handsome examination of the influences of nature, light and atmosphere upon the works of these three legendary painters. The book illustrates both the similarities and the differences between the three painters, traces the impact of light and natural landscapes on their particular vision, and how each brought into being their masterpieces, that today, routinely fetch millions at the auction houses.]]>I Work at a Public Libraryhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404197&blogid=1766
The subtitle of this book pretty much says it all: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks. Gina Sheridan, a librarian in St. Louis, Missouri, has gathered 152 pages of stories about her experiences with patrons while working in libraries. I sampled a few of the anecdotes and found them to be really quite amusi]]>David D.2018-01-04T19:50:09ZA Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks. Gina Sheridan, a librarian in St. Louis, Missouri, has gathered 152 pages of stories about her experiences with patrons while working in libraries. I sampled a few of the anecdotes and found them to be really quite amusing. Some day I'll read the rest!]]>Papillon- One Remarkable Cathttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404160&blogid=1766
Papillon, the very fluffy kitty who has the amazing ability to float like a cloud in the sky, is at it again in A.N. Kang's sequel Papillon Goes To The Vet. This time Papillon must make an unexpected trip to the kitty doctor after accidentally swallowing a yarn toy during a robust playtime session. The toy gets stuck ]]>TeresaM-R2018-01-02T10:35:29ZPapillon, the very fluffy kitty who has the amazing ability to float like a cloud in the sky, is at it again in A.N. Kang's sequel Papillon Goes To The Vet. This time Papillon must make an unexpected trip to the kitty doctor after accidentally swallowing a yarn toy during a robust playtime session. The toy gets stuck somewhere in his belly, making him feel sick with a case of the hiccups to boot. His owner, Miss Tilly, transports her kitty, via bike, as he forlornly sits in the front basket

The vet sees the obstruction on an x-ray and Papillon is ordered to spend the evening at the clinic, where he feels sad, scared and lonely. His cries for help only make the hiccups worse, but the silver lining is that after one particularly ferocious hiccup, the fluffy toy pops out of his mouth.

The other cat patients present at the clinic are quite impressed with Papillon's post recovery antics, and come to see him as the very talented and special cat that he truly is. Next day this remarkable floating cat returns home with a fresher spring in his step and a mouth that will be determinedly closed when around any yarn toys that happen to be lurking about!

This book is chockfull of extremely expressive illustrations that are sure to please both young and old cat lovers alike. As fate would have it, author Kang herself has an amazing fluffy black and white cat named Papillon as well!

]]>New Favorite Authorhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404154&blogid=1766
I loved Elizabeth Strout’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning novel,&#160; Olive Kittredge , but for some reason did not go on to read any of her other books until just recently. While packing to go on a short trip, I wondered out loud if I had enough books for all the reading time I would have in airports, on planes, a]]>Steve S2017-12-26T13:06:22ZI loved Elizabeth Strout’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Olive Kittredge, but for some reason did not go on to read any of her other books until just recently. While packing to go on a short trip, I wondered out loud if I had enough books for all the reading time I would have in airports, on planes, and in hotel rooms. My wife said that I could take one that she had just started, Anything Is Possible.

Once again, I was drawn in by her beautiful prose that illuminates all the corners of her characters’ hearts and minds. Do you ever read books and just get the feeling that you are settling into a comfortable chair?

Elizabeth Strout has moved into my favorite authors category. Settle into one of her novels and enjoy how she weaves together the stories of her character’s flawed lives, often making you upset with and then sympathetic towards them.

]]>Dear Martinhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404103&blogid=1766
I devoured this book. Earlier this year I was struck by PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renee Watson, and THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas. DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone was right up there with them. Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and on his way to Yale. One night he's trying to help his drunk ex-girlfriend get h]]>KirstenJ2017-12-13T09:25:26ZJanuary Pizza & Pages program at Central. Teens can register starting December 19!]]>A Plea to White Peoplehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404086&blogid=1766
This book is a very heartfelt, thoughtful, emotional yet rational plea for white people to understand what it's like to be black in America. Structurally, it's based on a sermon, but I'm not sure it reads like one - it's more social justice book than religious sermon in my opinion. Michael Eric Dyson , a pastor, is o]]>MattS2017-12-12T09:09:29ZThis book is a very heartfelt, thoughtful, emotional yet rational plea for white people to understand what it's like to be black in America. Structurally, it's based on a sermon, but I'm not sure it reads like one - it's more social justice book than religious sermon in my opinion. Michael Eric Dyson, a pastor, is one of the greatest black intellectuals of our day. This book was truly enjoyable, humanizing, and sad. As Steven King says, "Dyson tells you what you need to know--what this white man needed to know, at least."

The end of the book has an incredibly extensive reading list, for anyone that wants to take an intellectual deep dive. But even better - check out our KPL Social Justice Collection.

]]>Studio: creative spaces for creative peoplehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404053&blogid=1766
Studio: creative spaces for creative people by Sally Coulthard takes you into the studios of dozens of artists and makers. Providing the reader with inspiration and motivation for creating a productive studio space of their own, Studio is full of photographs of the beautiful and interesting workspaces of visual art]]>mykyl2017-12-06T10:17:22ZStudio: creative spaces for creative people by Sally Coulthard takes you into the studios of dozens of artists and makers. Providing the reader with inspiration and motivation for creating a productive studio space of their own, Studio is full of photographs of the beautiful and interesting workspaces of visual artists, woodworkers, textile artists and more. If you dream of carving out a creative space to explore your artistic thoughts completely and need inspiration, or wish to improve your current studio space to better suit your needs, or just like to look at visually interesting productive spaces – this book is for you. This book would also make a great holiday gift for any creative person on your list.]]>The Snowflake: Winter's Secret Beautyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404040&blogid=1766
Growing up in the subtropical Hong Kong, I had never seen snow in my life before I came to the U.S., and I thought snowflakes were only people’s romantic imaginations for winter. Then one cold winter morning in Utah, when I was walking to campus, I saw these tiny dusts falling down from the sky. When I looked closer ]]>AliceL2017-12-04T16:18:22ZThen one cold winter morning in Utah, when I was walking to campus, I saw these tiny dusts falling down from the sky. When I looked closer as they fell on my gloves, they were REAL snowflakes!! They were so tiny, yet so sophisticated and beautiful.

This book has included a lot of gorgeous snow crystal photographs and diagrams to show the science behind the formation of a snow crystal. The author Kenneth Libbrecht is a professor of physics at Caltech. I love how he said about his study of snowflakes, “my flaky studies are not driven by practical applications. Instead my motivation is scientific curiosity.” Hence, a whole book dedicated to the beautiful snowflakes! ]]>It's All a Gamehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404031&blogid=1766
Subtitled The History of Board Games from Monopoly to Settlers of Catan, this 2017 book is a 'colorful and entertaining history of board games that provides a fascinating look into what board games can teach us about ourselves.'&#160; Included are histories and analyses of board games such as chess, backgammon, The G]]>David D.2017-12-01T17:05:49ZThe History of Board Games from Monopoly to Settlers of Catan, this 2017 book is a 'colorful and entertaining history of board games that provides a fascinating look into what board games can teach us about ourselves.' Included are histories and analyses of board games such as chess, backgammon, The Game of Life, Monopoly, Clue, Scrabble, the plastic games (Mouse Trap and Operation), and Trivial Pursuit. The subheading of the chapter on Monopoly says, 'How Monopoly went from anti-landlord tirade to celebration of cutthroat capitalism.' The chapter on Clue tells how 'Clue's very British murders created a world of armchair sleuths.' In discussing modern board games, author Tristan Donovan also writes about 'how Germany revitalized board gaming for the twenty-first century.' This is another book that doesn't necessarily need to be read straight through to be enjoyed. I love the dedicatory note in the front: 'To my sister Jade, the queen of overturned Monopoly boards.']]>If the Creek don't Risehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404029&blogid=1766
This novel is a first for Leah Weiss . You’d never know it. Her words flow like syrup warmed in the sun. I felt like I was there on the mountain, hiding on a tree limb, spying on each character and watching the next person come round the bend.
There are some mean people in this story. Weiss doesn’t just let us hat]]>Christine2017-12-01T15:37:47ZThis novel is a first for Leah Weiss. You’d never know it. Her words flow like syrup warmed in the sun. I felt like I was there on the mountain, hiding on a tree limb, spying on each character and watching the next person come round the bend.

There are some mean people in this story. Weiss doesn’t just let us hate them, though, and leave it at that. Oh no, some of them get a whole chapter to tell their part of the story and their experience of life on the mountain. By the time they’re through, we see the world through their eyes and get why they’re so hateful. There are no simple answers and no clear-cut ‘who’s right’ and ‘who’s wrong’ to this novel. If you’re looking for that, find a different book. But I suggest you decide to just take it all in and be carried along by Weiss’ lyrical story telling and her very human characters.

I put this title on my Best of 2017 list. Watch for all our staff year-end ‘Best of’ suggestions online soon. In the meanwhile, come down to Central and check out the Best of 2017 physical display for some great reading ideas.

]]>Little Monster Gets the Last Laughhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404022&blogid=1766
Little Monster wants to be in a scary story, but finds the dark forest, spooky house, and creepy witch too scary.&#160; He doesn't want to be scared.&#160; He wants to do the scaring.&#160; However, that doesn't work out as planned.&#160; The comical back and forth between a narrator and Little Monster makes Sean Taylo]]>Steve S2017-11-30T15:12:31ZI Want to Be in a Scary Story a great read aloud.]]>One Nation Under God...http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404009&blogid=1766
Pat Mora teamed up
with her daughter, Libby Martinez , to
write I Pledge Allegiance . It’s about
a young Libby’s great aunt, Lobo (lobo means wolf in Spanish). Lobo will say
the Pledge Allegiance and become a citizen soon and everyone is excited about
it, especially Libby. Libby will lead her class in t]]>JudiR2017-11-29T17:08:05ZPat Mora teamed up
with her daughter, Libby Martinez, to
writeI Pledge Allegiance. It’s about
a young Libby’s great aunt, Lobo (lobo means wolf in Spanish). Lobo will say
the Pledge Allegiance and become a citizen soon and everyone is excited about
it, especially Libby. Libby will lead her class in the pledge also so they
prepare together.

Cute story! Read it and enjoy!

]]>Far From the Tree(2)http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032404003&blogid=1766
I can't say enough good things about Far From the Tree by Robin Benway. This book was the&#160; 2017 National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature , an award given through the National Book Foundation in November of each year. In this complex story about family dynamics, adoption, love, and more, teenager]]>AndreaV2017-11-28T10:44:41ZI can't say enough good things about Far From the Tree by Robin Benway. This book was the 2017 National Book Award winner for Young People's Literature, an award given through the National Book Foundation in November of each year. In this complex story about family dynamics, adoption, love, and more, teenagers Grace, Maya, and Joaquin discover they are biological siblings. As they get to know each other, the reader watches their individual lives unfold and their definitions of family expand. I completely agree with the NBA judges' citation. This book is "uplifting and big-hearted".

This year's Young People's Literature longlist also includes authors who've visited Kalamazoo Public Library in the past, like Mitali Perkins just recently in 2017, and Jason Reynolds in 2015 and 2016. The whole list is here.

The National Book Award list is one of my favorite "Best of" lists each year. I mean, other than the KPL "Best of" lists. The entire list is impressive and the winners are chosen by a committee of book industry experts and established authors who work all year long, reading and critiquing books to find the best of the best in each category. You might recognize some big Young Adult author names from this list of judges: Meg Medina (Chair), Brendan Kiely, Kekla Magoon, Alex Sanchez.

]]>A Garden of Forgiveness for Peace(1)http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403997&blogid=1766
This parable was inspired by the garden of forgiveness in Lebanon and Beirut. Lauren Thompson created this story with a young girl teaching the villagers about forgiveness. It’s about 2
villages that never knew peace and raised their children to hate each other. One
day one wounded child looked to the other side an]]>JudiR2017-11-26T18:30:14Z

This parable was inspired by the garden of forgiveness in Lebanon and Beirut. Lauren Thompson created this story with a young girl teaching the villagers about forgiveness. It’s about 2
villages that never knew peace and raised their children to hate each other. One
day one wounded child looked to the other side and realized their enemies were
as afraid of her people as they were of them. She was tired of the fear and
anger. She encouraged the villagers on both sides to instead of throwing
rocks at each other to build a garden together.

]]>Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Freehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403990&blogid=1766
&#160; Red
Tail Captured, Red Tail Free: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman and POW is
Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson’s account of becoming a Tuskegee Airman, and getting
shot down over Germany during his 19 th mission on August 12 th ,
1944. He was taken to a prisoner of war camp, and was held captive until April
2]]>ElyseM2017-11-24T12:33:19ZRed
Tail Captured, Red Tail Free: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman and POW is
Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson’s account of becoming a Tuskegee Airman, and getting
shot down over Germany during his 19th mission on August 12th,
1944. He was taken to a prisoner of war camp, and was held captive until April
29th, 1945. Jefferson writes about growing up in segregated Detroit
and tells how his fascination with aviation influenced his education. He talks
about training to become a Tuskegee Airman and his missions overseas. He
discusses his experience as a prisoner of war, and also details his life and
career after the war.

The most interesting part for me was
reading about how many barriers stood in the way of black men to join the Army
Air Corps, because no one wanted black men to have the chance to prove they
were as intelligent and capable of flying as white pilots. Women faced similar
obstacles, as I read about in WASPs: Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War
II by Vera S. Williams. Jefferson writes:

“On September 23, 1942, I was sworn into the Army Reserves.
I immediately volunteered for flight training but was told to return home and
wait for a position to open up. When I asked when this would be, I was told not
to worry about it. I wasn’t sure I would ever be called, but at least being in
the reserves kept me from being drafted. At the time, I didn’t understand what
was going on, but I later learned there was a rigid quota restricting how many
blacks could be inducted each month into the training program at Tuskegee,”
(24).

Even if someone made it into the program, it was unlikely
that he would graduate. The government made sure that only a small percentage
of cadets graduated.

“We cadets were all college graduates…there were 90 of us
who started…by the end of our nine months of training, only 25 of us had
survived. Some were eliminated for flying inadequacies, and some for
non-military reasons. Years later, through the Freedom of Information Act, we
discovered there had been a quota for how many blacks were allowed to graduate.
The phrase used to wash guys out was “eliminated while passing for the
convenience of the government,” (26).

Like many black veterans, and talented individuals of color
in many industries, Jefferson was not officially recognized for his achievement
and sacrifice by the government until much later on in life. He received the
Purple Heart in 2001 and collected other prestigious awards too. Of course, his
induction into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame at the Kalamazoo Aviation Museum
(now known as the Air Zoo) in 1995 stood out for me among his honors.

]]>ELEPHANTINE BABY STEPShttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403986&blogid=1766
This is a truly captivating book by acclaimed author and illustrator Katherine Roy who had previously written the very well received tome "Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands". Titled How to be an Elephant:Growing Up in the African Wild, this volume focuses on the anatom]]>TeresaM-R2017-11-21T13:00:09ZThis is a truly captivating book by acclaimed author and illustrator Katherine Roy who had previously written the very well received tome "Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands". Titled How to be an Elephant:Growing Up in the African Wild, this volume focuses on the anatomy, environment, family life and survival skills of a newly born elephant as she matures and becomes part of her herd. Roy vividly captures the way that these 7,000-pound giants live in the African savanna concentrating on the challenges that they face throughout their lifespans.

The accompanying large , earth-tone illustrations are stunning, and show the stages of elephant development, their bone structure, keen sense of smell, their very utilitarian trunks, their use of sounds to communicate, how they cool their bodies in hot weather, as well as several other fascinating elephant facts. These pictures are dynamic in their depiction of real elephant life, making them a wonderful, integral part of this book.

this title would be a great and meaningful addition to any library collection that serves early to middle elementary school kids. It would also be a great read for animal lovers of any age.

]]>Shi-shi-etkohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403969&blogid=1766
When a little girl comes home from school one day and asks her grandfather how to say something in his first language, Cree, he is sad because he cannot.&#160; Stolen Words , by Melanie Florence, is a recently published picture book that uses the modern-day relationship between a granddaughter and grandfather to tel]]>BillC2017-11-17T16:20:51ZWhen a little girl comes home from school one day and asks her grandfather how to say something in his first language, Cree, he is sad because he cannot. Stolen Words, by Melanie Florence, is a recently published picture book that uses the modern-day relationship between a granddaughter and grandfather to tell the story of how residential schools systematically removed children from their families in order to replace their language and life ways. It conveys the great injustice that the residential schools perpetrated on native communities. With an optimistic and touching resolution, Stolen Words is a good introduction to the history of residential schools, a tool of European colonization established as institutions in North America and elsewhere.

As much as anything, Stolen Words helped me to appreciate another picture book about the Canadian residential schools: Shi-shi-etko by Interior Salish and Metis author Nicola I. Campbell. Shi-shi-etko, the title character, whose name means “she loves to play in the water," seems perhaps nervous but hopeful - “only one, two, three, four mornings left until I go to school”. The prose and pictures combine to portray a family’s loving efforts to help their daughter preserve her culture in the lead up to Shi-shi-etko being taken, by cattle truck, to residential school. This picture book, unlike Stolen Words, is set in the times when these schools existed, not looking back from contemporary times. The portrayal of a family doing what they can to persevere amidst the intentional misuse of power – racism – makes Shi-shi-etko a powerful book. Residential schools existed in the United States, too. How recently did the last residential school in Canada close? The answer, which is in the author’s introduction, might surprise you.

]]>National Book Award Winnershttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403964&blogid=1766
The winners of this year's National Book Awards were announced in a ceremony in New York last night. Fiction: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward Non-Fiction: The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia by Masha Gessen Poetry: Half-light: Collected Poems 1965-2016 by Frank Bidart ]]>AngelaF2017-11-16T10:29:16ZNational Book Awards were announced in a ceremony in New York last night.

You can check out all the winners at KPL.]]>Autumnhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403960&blogid=1766
Autumn is one of four seasons--portions of the year which are distinguished from each other by particular characteristics of daylight, temperature, and weather. In autumn, the whole world seems to be preparing for restor death. The days grow shorter, the temperature cools, and plants and animals prepare for the cold m]]>KitA2017-11-15T13:50:02ZAutumn is one of four seasons--portions of the year which are distinguished from each other by particular characteristics of daylight, temperature, and weather. In autumn, the whole world seems to be preparing for restor death. The days grow shorter, the temperature cools, and plants and animals prepare for the cold months of winter. Wild animals migrate to warmer places or take on calories and build warm shelters, deciduous trees drop their leaves to conserve energy, and humans, who in this country call autumn “fall,” get out their warm clothes, turn on the furnace, and rake the fallen leaves from their yards.

Autumn is also a book by the Norwegian writer Karl Ove Knausgaard, and the above paragraph is a feeble attempt to imitate his writing style. Autumn is a collection of short essays on a curious variety of topics: apples, plastic bags, infants, fever, lice, churches, dawn, and chimneys, to name a few. Most of the pieces consider natural and man-made things or physical experiences, but a few discuss more abstract concepts like loneliness and forgiveness or the works of particular writers or artists.

These pieces are presented as Knausgaard’s introduction to the world for his unborn daughter, and according to the book jacket, it is "the first of four volumes marveling at the vast, unknowable universe around us." Each piece describes its topic in precise details which I, for one, rarely ever think about. Some of Knausgaard’s observations are quite frank and disturbingly graphic, yet each piece eventually moves beyond concrete facts to the strange ways we relate to the thing being considered. For example, Knausgaard concludes an essay called "Vomit" (of which I confess I skimmed the beginning description) with a memory of a time when one of his children vomited, like this:

"… but it was neither disgusting or uncomfortable, on the contrary I found it refreshing. The reason was simple: I loved her, and the force of that love allows nothing to stand in its way, neither the ugly, nor the unpleasant, nor the disgusting, nor the horrific."

With his keen attention and the connections he makes between the mundane and the deeply personal, Knausgaard shows the very familiar things that make up daily life in a fresh and vivid light, in the same way that the world can look brand new just after an autumn rain.

]]>More Alive and Less Lonely: On Books and Writershttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403951&blogid=1766
Novelist Jonathan Lethem’s new book of short essays, reviews, introductions, and a hilarious, imagined interview between the filmmaker Spike Jonze and one of Lethem’s fictional characters, More Alive and Less Lonely: On Books and Writers will appeal to those who enjoy Lethem’s spirited, polygonal criticism and lite]]>RyanG2017-11-14T12:15:12ZMore Alive and Less Lonely: On Books and Writers will appeal to those who enjoy Lethem’s spirited, polygonal criticism and literary ephemera. Lethem’s enthusiasm for delving into the essence of the books and writers that have moved him over the years is infectious from the first essay onward and will inspire readers to seek out the authors and books discussed. His reflexive, stylistic musings, collected over the course of a decade, engage with both the canon (Kafka, Melville, Dickens) and the lesser known (Steven Millhauser, Vivian Gornick, Thomas Berger), the long ago, dead authors (Bernard Malamud and Philip K. Dick) and those still working and alive (Philip Roth, Lorrie Moore, Kazuo Ishiguro).]]>Bintihttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403930&blogid=1766
I love science fiction. I love the sleek spaceships and visiting other worlds. I love imagining how current trends may impact future society. But the stories being told in this genre are so limited . Think of the last science fiction movie
you saw, or saw advertised. Who was the main character? Was it a man? Did he
]]>MilanH2017-11-09T10:59:36ZI love science fiction. I love the sleek spaceships and visiting other worlds. I love imagining how current trends may impact future society. But the stories being told in this genre are so limited. Think of the last science fiction movie
you saw, or saw advertised. Who was the main character? Was it a man? Did he
have blue eyes? Was his name Chris? Yeah, I thought so. Why is it that when we
get the chance to travel off planet, we’re always stuck with the same guy who
can only classify aliens into two categories: the ones who look like
supermodels in tight spandex, and the ones who don’t?

There are so many aspects of space travel that have yet to
be explored, and stories that can only be explored by people who aren’t Chris.
That is why Binti by Nnedi Okorafor is so refreshing. Binti is the story of
a girl from the Himba tribe in northern Namibia. She sneaks off in the night to catch a ride on the spaceship heading off to Oomza University, where she’s been accepted to complete her studies. Her plans are violently interrupted when aliens board and attack the ship.

Coming in at a succinct 97 pages, this story is gripping and
fast paced. It is the mark of a master to guide the reader from point A to point
B with no excess frills, or empty exposition. To pull that off in science fiction, a genre known for elaborate world building and description is incredible. Winner of the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and finalists for many others, this is one space adventure you do not want to miss.

]]>What Is Hip-Hop?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403921&blogid=1766
I absolutely LOVE THIS BOOK!&#160;
Beautifully written in rhyme, it provides younger children with a great
introduction to the history of Hip Hop music.&#160;
Anny Yi 's amazing 3-D clay art form kept me laughing all the way
through.&#160; From DJ Cool Herc to LL Cool J,
Flava Flav to De La Soul, Salt-N-Pepa to ]]>KalaL2017-11-07T14:22:52ZI absolutely LOVE THIS BOOK!
Beautifully written in rhyme, it provides younger children with a great
introduction to the history of Hip Hop music.
Anny Yi's amazing 3-D clay art form kept me laughing all the way
through. From DJ Cool Herc to LL Cool J,
Flava Flav to De La Soul, Salt-N-Pepa to Eminem… I really enjoyed this trip
down memory lane and seeing all the Hip Hop artists represented. Anyone who grew up on Hip Hop will want to
read this picture book. Listen here to author Eric Morse as he talks about his exposure to Hip Hop music and writing this wonderful book.

]]>Another Masterpiece by Coateshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403898&blogid=1766
I would say Ta-Nehisi Coates is a reincarnation of James Baldwin, and no doubt he would take it as a compliment, but I think it does a disservice to his unique brilliance at writing. He doesn't write to simply inform. As he says, he wants to leave the reader haunted by his words. Indeed. He is arguably the greatest Af]]>MattS2017-11-06T10:18:31ZI would say Ta-Nehisi Coates is a reincarnation of James Baldwin, and no doubt he would take it as a compliment, but I think it does a disservice to his unique brilliance at writing. He doesn't write to simply inform. As he says, he wants to leave the reader haunted by his words. Indeed. He is arguably the greatest African American writer to ever live and - with comics and screenplays coming - he's very much in his prime. And I only say "African American writer" because he chooses to write about race - that's his beat and he does it so powerfully well.

The title - We Were Eight Year in Power - has a double meaning. After the Civil War, in the South, for a brief period of eight years, American was able to witness "negro government" for the first time. And it was good - schools were built, institutions established, jails were built, education provided, ferries rebuilt. White supremacy put an end to that, reconstruction failed in the South, and Du Bois knew why: "If there was one thing that South Carolina feared more that bad Negro government, it was good Negro government." With the election of Donald Trump, the parallels are obvious.

Although most of the book contains essays you may have read in the Atlantic (e.g. "The Case for Reparations"), the book is well worth it. Before each easy, Ta-Nehisi offers great commentary about his life at the time and what he thought of the piece and how it relates to today.

In regards to his writing style, two things leap off the page. For him, the history of racism is extremely physical and violent. No euphemisms here. Second, his atheism influences his thought and writing tremendously. "Nobody will save us." The story is constant struggle and valiant suffering. People call him overly pessimistic; I would say he looks at history bravely and fiercely.

]]>The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, Literary Treasureshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403884&blogid=1766
I find it hard to believe that it has been 26 years since the Kalamazoo Public Library gave up its card catalog in favor of an online catalog. This means that a fairly large segment of the population has no memory of this iconic entity. As do a few others on the staff here at the library, I remember well the days of wa]]>David D.2017-11-02T18:18:12ZTo Kill a Mockingbird, The Cat in the Hat, Charlotte's Web, The Grapes of Wrath, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and many others. This book evokes nostalgia for the past as well as gratitude for the present.]]>Meatless? A Fresh Look at What You Eathttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403875&blogid=1766
When I talk to others about being vegan, I always say that it's not for everyone, but it is for me. It has worked for me for the past 6 years. Meatless? A Fresh Look at What You Eat takes a similar approach; it's not for everyone, and that's okay. We don't have to compare ourselves to each other, and what is healthy]]>ElyseM2017-11-02T12:24:38ZWhen I talk to others about being vegan, I always say that it's not for everyone, but it is for me. It has worked for me for the past 6 years. Meatless? A Fresh Look at What You Eat takes a similar approach; it's not for everyone, and that's okay. We don't have to compare ourselves to each other, and what is healthy and comfortable for one person may not be for another.

Author Sarah Elton offers a brief history of meat eating and explains why people consider a flexitarian, vegetarian, or vegan diet, including cultural, religious, and environmental reasons. She shares ideas about how to adopt a new way of eating if the reader wants to try it. The book's tone is non-judgmental and informative. It doesn't attempt to persuade, scare, or guilt readers into limiting or removing animal products from their diets. Adults may modify their eating habits to lose weight or improve their health, or to test out a new trend (Beyoncé did it, right?). Kids may simply be curious. If so, this book is a great resource.

]]>My name is Cynthiahttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403853&blogid=1766
My name is Cynthia : I’m more than special needs is written by Cynthia’s mother Sally Birch, from her daughter’s perspective. The book chronicles Cynthia’s life starting from birth, on to preschool years where some signs of developmental disability began to show, then through school years and the hardships that cam]]>KristenL2017-10-31T11:10:10ZMy name is Cynthia : I’m more than special needs is written by Cynthia’s mother Sally Birch, from her daughter’s perspective. The book chronicles Cynthia’s life starting from birth, on to preschool years where some signs of developmental disability began to show, then through school years and the hardships that came with being different --having to ride on a “short bus,” not being allowed to participate in the same activities as other children-- and finally through adulthood. This is an engrossing book by a Kalamazoo author -- a quick read that you won't put down once you start. The epilogue about what life could have been like had Cynthia’s life not been defined by disability, written from combined mom and daughter’s perspective, made me tear up.]]>Little Sisterhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403841&blogid=1766
Rose owns an old, red-carpeted repertory cinema, is caring for her mother who is in the early stages of dementia, and suddenly starts inhabiting another woman’s body every time it storms. You know, just your average life stuff for a 30-something woman. Little Sister , by Barbara Gowdy, takes place over the course]]>CaitAmy2017-10-30T10:56:39ZLittle Sister, by Barbara Gowdy, takes place over the course of a few days, when Rose begins having what she thinks are dreams about being a woman named Harriet. Her obsession with Harriet, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to her little sister, brings up trauma from her past and forces her to deal with her life in the present. It’s a book about forgiveness, imperfection and hope. Plus, the character development in this novel is fantastic—I feel as if Rose is someone I know, and even the minor characters have layers.]]>Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionarieshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403827&blogid=1766
My name is Karen. And I am a word nerd.
It's no surprise, therefore, that this book caught my attention. Not only is it interesting, it's also humorous. Author and blogger Kory Stamper works for Merriam-Webster as a lexicographer. As such, she digs into the world of word origins, usage, and the daily questions sh]]>KarenT2017-10-27T11:32:24ZMy name is Karen. And I am a word nerd.

It's no surprise, therefore, that this book caught my attention. Not only is it interesting, it's also humorous. Author and blogger Kory Stamper works for Merriam-Webster as a lexicographer. As such, she digs into the world of word origins, usage, and the daily questions she faces due to the ever-changing nature of the English language. If you're like me and you like reading about words, you'll enjoy this book.

]]>Animal Arkhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403825&blogid=1766
Animal Ark is a beautiful work of photography and poetry. In this National Geographic Kids book, Photo Ark creator Joel Sartore celebrates “our wild world in poetry and pictures” by joining the playful and powerful words of Newbery Medal award winner Kwame Alexander with bright and colorful animal photographs]]>AlexM2017-10-25T19:41:20ZAnimal Ark is a beautiful work of photography and poetry. In this National Geographic Kids book, Photo Ark creator Joel Sartore celebrates “our wild world in poetry and pictures” by joining the playful and powerful words of Newbery Medal award winner Kwame Alexander with bright and colorful animal photographs. This new non-fiction picture book is currently available at all KPL locations.]]>Chatham, Chicago, Segregation, and Gentrificationhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403824&blogid=1766
The content, issues, and stories in this book make it a must read. Unfortunately for me, I just couldn't get into the writing style, the flow, and the speed of the book. Hopefully you have a different experience.
Among the many things brought to light in this book, the Black middle class neighborhood of Chatham loo]]>MattS2017-10-25T10:45:41ZThe content, issues, and stories in this book make it a must read. Unfortunately for me, I just couldn't get into the writing style, the flow, and the speed of the book. Hopefully you have a different experience.

Among the many things brought to light in this book, the Black middle class neighborhood of Chatham looms large. The author, a correspondent for NPR, grew up there. It's important to remember that, while the effects of segregation have been catastrophic for Black families as a whole, there are many different ways of "growing up Black" in America. Chatham is different from Harlem which is different from Baltimore.

If you read this book, then you must read The Color of Law, a more general book about the same issues.

]]>She Looks Just Like Youhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403815&blogid=1766
Amie Klempnauer Miller is a mom who had hoped to get pregnant, but didn’t. After two years of trying and no conception, partner Jane decides she’ll give it a go. She gets pregnant after the first round of insemination. “That’s my family,”….Jane quips. “Wave a little sperm at us and we get knocked up.” Thus begins th]]>Christine2017-10-24T10:02:18ZAmie Klempnauer Miller is a mom who had hoped to get pregnant, but didn’t. After two years of trying and no conception, partner Jane decides she’ll give it a go. She gets pregnant after the first round of insemination. “That’s my family,”….Jane quips. “Wave a little sperm at us and we get knocked up.” Thus begins their journey toward motherhood. After eighteen years of partnership, their duo is on the path to becoming a trio.

Miller becomes stay-at-home Mama and Jane becomes Mommy, the primary breadwinner. Miller recounts in great detail the ups and downs, comic moments and exhaustion, plus the challenges to their relationship involved in becoming pregnant as a lesbian couple and raising their daughter, Hannah. We journey with them, up to Hannah’s toddlerhood. She shares the ways in which their family is just like any other family, the ways in which she is just like any other mother--and the ways in which she is not, as a nonbiological lesbian mom.

]]>Stephaniehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403789&blogid=1766
Susan Faludi , a feminist writer probably most famous for writing Backlash: the Undeclared War Against American Women , has a new book exploring her family’s history titled In the Darkroom . It begins when she is contacted by her father from whom she has been long estranged and he informs her that he is now St]]>Steve S2017-10-16T15:30:41ZSusan Faludi, a feminist writer probably most famous for writing Backlash: the Undeclared War Against American Women, has a new book exploring her family’s history titled In the Darkroom. It begins when she is contacted by her father from whom she has been long estranged and he informs her that he is now Stephanie, having gone through sex reassignment surgery. As they renew their relationship, Faludi takes you on a fascinating journey into her father’s identity and the idea of identity itself.

She explores her father’s history as a photographer, adept at manufacturing and manipulating images and weaves this into the many changes her father has gone through in life. Then she layers on top of that the history of Hungary, her father’s homeland and current place of residence, which she reveals to be a most willing accomplice in the extermination of Jews during World War II. This was the back drop for her Jewish father’s early years in Hungary before emigrating to the United States.

It seems like a mystery novel with Faludi as the detective, turning up clues and illuminating her father’s story.

]]>Furiously Happy!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403758&blogid=1766
Furiously Happy is the second book by Jenny Lawson, who is known on The Internet as The Bloggess . If you haven’t read any of her work, I suggest starting with her blog about Why you should learn to pick your battles . (Warning: Article contains swear words. So do the books. Lots of swear words.) The tagline for F]]>AmyAH2017-10-10T16:12:31ZThe Bloggess. If you haven’t read any of her work, I suggest starting with her blog about Why you should learn to pick your battles. (Warning: Article contains swear words. So do the books. Lots of swear words.)

The tagline for Furiously Happy is “A funny book about horrible things”, and that’s exactly what it is. Lawson gives us an honest inside look at what living with a severe depression and anxiety feels like. She puts on display all the ugly and sad feelings, but also shows us how to live life fully. As always, the best part of her writing is the stories about her bizarre daily adventures, and antidotes about her dysfunctional-yet-loving relationship with her husband Victor.

I recommend this book to people who suffer from anxiety themselves, and anyone who wants to understand those who do.

Kalamazoo Community Mental Health wants to reduce the stigma of mental health. Learn more here. lookbeyondstigma.org/]]>Take a picture of me, James VanDerZee!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403736&blogid=1766
Years ago when I worked in archives, I would spend hours and
hours looking through photos taken during the Harlem Renaissance era.&#160; Most of those photos were taken by James
VanDerZee, a brilliant African American photographer who had the ability to capture the true essence
of his subjects.
VanDerZee was bor]]>KalaL2017-10-06T14:44:54ZYears ago when I worked in archives, I would spend hours and
hours looking through photos taken during the Harlem Renaissance era. Most of those photos were taken by James
VanDerZee, a brilliant African American photographer who had the ability to capture the true essence
of his subjects.

VanDerZee was born in Lennox, Massachusetts in 1886. As a young boy, he fell in love with "a huge contraption called a camera" and immediately taught himself how to take photos and develop the film in his own closet darkroom. At 18, he moved to New York City when the Harlem Renaissance was beginning. After working several jobs, VanDerZee opened his own photography studio and began his journey photographing everyone and everything. His photos were so well-produced, his services were in high demand for the next 60 plus years.

Andrea J. Loney introduces young readers to this amazing man in this well-written and illustrated biography picture book. I recommend it for family reading.

]]>A Flag Worth Dying Forhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403727&blogid=1766
Some time ago I wrote in this space about the book Prisoners
of Geography: Ten Maps that Explain Everything about the World. Now comes
author Tim Marshall with another book. This one is called A Flag Worth Dying
For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols. In nine chapters Marshall
gives histories of many ]]>David D.2017-10-04T20:52:17ZSome time ago I wrote in this space about the book Prisoners
of Geography: Ten Maps that Explain Everything about the World. Now comes
author Tim Marshall with another book. This one is called A Flag Worth Dying
For: The Power and Politics of National Symbols. In nine chapters Marshall
gives histories of many of the world’s flags as well as anecdotes that make
these histories interesting. I especially appreciated the color flag
illustrations, particularly those of the many new countries that have
evolved in the last quarter century. More than detailed accounts, these
chapters analyze the symbolism and emotional impact the sight of a flag has on
those who view it. According to Geographical magazine, ‘This might be
the comprehensive flag volume we’ve all been waiting for – a slick yet detailed
and well-researched journey through some of the world’s most infamous and
interesting flags. Marshall guides us through this myriad of stories
admirably.’

]]>Raindrops Rollhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403718&blogid=1766
It's no secret that April Pulley Sayre is one of my favorite picture book authors. This week I discovered her nonfiction book for young readers, Raindrops Roll . Her incredible photography and rhyming text make this pick a huge hit at my house. All of us, adults and kids, spent some time poring over the pages an]]>AndreaV2017-10-03T10:54:29ZApril Pulley Sayre is one of my favorite picture book authors. This week I discovered her nonfiction book for young readers,Raindrops Roll. Her incredible photography and rhyming text make this pick a huge hit at my house. All of us, adults and kids, spent some time poring over the pages and repeating the lyrical rhymes. Check this one out today!]]>Incredible Bugs!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403705&blogid=1766
While shelving new children’s non-fiction books, I discovered Superstats: Incredible Bugs , part of the Superstats book series . The bright, clear photographs, surrounded by fun and interesting facts about insects, spiders, and other tiny creatures, immediately took me in. With quality images like a Dorling Kinder]]>AlexM2017-09-29T16:21:58ZSuperstats: Incredible Bugs, part of the Superstats book series. The bright, clear photographs, surrounded by fun and interesting facts about insects, spiders, and other tiny creatures, immediately took me in. With quality images like a Dorling Kindersley “DK” book, and being full of factoids like a Guinness World Records book, I consider this book a winner. While Incredible Bugs’ suggested reader age range is 7-10 / grades 2-4, sharing the large photographs and more basic fun facts may be enjoyable to younger readers as well.]]>Locking Up Our Ownhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403685&blogid=1766
When it comes to mass incarceration, the most important book, in my opinion, is The New Jim Crow , by Michelle Alexander. But Locking Up Our Own takes a close second, being a very important supplement to the narrative that Michelle Alexander sets up. History shows that mass incarceration—regardless of intentions or ]]>MattS2017-09-26T13:38:54ZThe New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander. But Locking Up Our Own takes a close second, being a very important supplement to the narrative that Michelle Alexander sets up. History shows that mass incarceration—regardless of intentions or personal prejudice—locked up young African American males at alarming rates, and still does. Institutional racism and white supremacy are the only reasonable explanations. That is the main plot. But James Forman Jr., in Locking Up Our Own, sheds light on an important subplot: African Americans supporting, enacting, and enforcing mass incarceration policies—that is, locking up their own. Black leaders, black ministers, black judges and prosecutors, black police chiefs, black voters, and even the first black U.S. Prosecuting attorney Eric Holder supported tough-on-crime policies, partly because of classism within the black community, partly because of the heroine and crack epidemics, and mostly because they wanted safe communities. And, in their defense, most of these black leaders wanted tough-on-crime measures in addition to uplifting social and economic policies. Unfortunately, all they got was the former, not the latter.

James Forman Jr. draws on his experience as a defense attorney for Washington D.C. criminal courts. Highly readable, highly informed, highly tragic. Forman calls for a piecemeal approach to solving the problem, by slowly chipping away at the policies that got us here. In the end, he thinks any real solution requires shattering the arbitrary distinction between non-violent vs. violent criminals—a paradigm shift in thinking.]]>Utopia for Realistshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403683&blogid=1766
Steven Pinker, author of The Better Angels of Our Nature , praises Utopia for Realists as “bold, fresh ideas, and lively prose.” I concur. While the big, progressive ideas are fun enough to explore—universal basic income, a 15-hour workweek, and open borders—the writing is exciting, confident, funny, entertaining, d]]>MattS2017-09-26T08:57:13ZThe Better Angels of Our Nature, praises Utopia for Realists as “bold, fresh ideas, and lively prose.” I concur. While the big, progressive ideas are fun enough to explore—universal basic income, a 15-hour workweek, and open borders—the writing is exciting, confident, funny, entertaining, down to earth, and heavy-hitting. The author doesn’t get bogged down in the weeds and clearly has a grasp of global ideas and trends in various disciplines. I like generalists and renaissance men.

The author makes an argument for three ideas whose “time has come.” Universal Basic Income, or “giving free money to everyone,” solves poverty and allows people to transition to a future of robots replacing human work. The 15-hour workweek allows us to face a future of massive unemployment—again, because of robots doing our work. So, for example, my full-time librarian job would be split among two people, both part time. After all, the dream of robots has always been more leisure time for humans, right? So why are we working more than ever? And lastly, all countries should open their borders to everyone who wants to come in. The author believes this solves world poverty and increases the income more than anything imaginable—the statistics he shows are quite stunning.]]>Phantom Limbshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403629&blogid=1766
I have had an e-reader for years but I rarely purchase any e-books. I find plenty of e-books available through KPL's Overdrive and Hoopla services. I use the new Libby app from Overdrive to search for my books, place holds, and transfer them to my device. Recently, I borrowed Phantom Limbs by Paula Garner an]]>AndreaV2017-09-14T15:50:06ZI have had an e-reader for years but I rarely purchase any e-books. I find plenty of e-books available through KPL's Overdrive and Hoopla services. I use the new Libby app from Overdrive to search for my books, place holds, and transfer them to my device. Recently, I borrowed Phantom Limbs by Paula Garner and I've been thinking about it ever since I finished reading it. This profound story about loss, love, and friendship, has affected me deeply and I'm so glad I stumbled across it via my Overdrive browsing. Otis and Meg were inseparable best friends, and first loves, until Otis' brother tragically dies. Otis is forced to move on without Meg in his life but he has never quite forgotten her. Like a phantom limb, the pains of his losses are always there. Suddenly, Meg resurfaces and as you'd figure, makes his life much more complicated than he'd planned. As Meg and Otis work through their new proximity to each other, the secondary characters make this well-written book all the more interesting. I don't think anyone who reads it would soon forget it. And anyone who's suffered the loss of a loved one, will see themselves and others through the characters here. Everyone processes loss in their own way and we are never the same again once we've lost someone or something that we loved deeply.

We don't yet have this title in print at KPL's Teen Central but we will soon. In the meantime, you can borrow it from KPL's Overdrive service on many e-formats.

]]>Hey Harry, Hey Matlidahttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403617&blogid=1766
The charming novel Hey Harry, Hey Matilda , formatted as a series of back and forth email messages between twins Harry and Matilda, will delight readers who like their doses of bourgeoisie torment mitigated by witty sarcasm and pithy observations about thirty-something anxiety. Matilda is the zany, unfiltered twin w]]>RyanG2017-09-12T16:09:23ZHey Harry, Hey Matilda, formatted as a series of back and forth email messages between twins Harry and Matilda, will delight readers who like their doses of bourgeoisie torment mitigated by witty sarcasm and pithy observations about thirty-something anxiety. Matilda is the zany, unfiltered twin who cannot seem to maintain a meaningful, long-term relationship and who laments her narrowing career opportunities, clinging to the desire to live the "authentic" life of an "artist". It is revealed early on in the book that Matilda has told her current boyfriend that her twin brother has died, a childish fib that not unsurprisingly leads to Matlida’s increasingly erratic correspondence. Harry, a literature professor and the more seemingly self-assured and conventionally situated sibling, finds trouble when he begins to date a younger student at the university. Hey Harry, Hey Matilda is a fun, imaginative and quick read that was originally unfurled on author Rachel Hulin’s Instagram account before it was published earlier this year.]]>CATAWAMPUS RUMPUShttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403604&blogid=1766
The Catawampus Cat &#160;by Jason Carter Eaton is the tale of a somewhat off kilter feline who mysteriously arrives one Tuesday morning into an unnamed town. First to notice the slightly askew cat is Mr Grouse the grocer, who tries to straighten the cat out, but to no avail. In the midst of the cat straightening atte]]>TeresaM-R2017-09-08T11:09:08Z

First to notice the slightly askew cat is Mr Grouse the grocer, who tries to straighten the cat out, but to no avail. In the midst of the cat straightening attempt excitement, the grocer and his wife tilt their heads as well and make a very happy rediscovery!

Next the town barber spots the cat and is so taken aback that he accidentally clips his customer's hair at an angle, much to the woman's delight!

And so it goes on, everyone who notices this unusually positioned cat sets off to try new things with wonderful results. The cat's slightly slanted, catawampus perspective becomes the town's obsession.Even the mayor declares that there be a Catawampus Cat Day in the feline's honor.But when the day arrives and the mayor declares "we are all different now, just like you", the cat responds with something out of the ordinary that dismays his adoring public.

A fun, humorous book with appealing illustrations by Gus Gordon, that is sure to please preschool, and early elementary kids!

]]>The Sandwich Swaphttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403602&blogid=1766
I grabbed The Sandwich Swap , by Queen Rania Al Abdullah, off of the shelf for a patron hold, and couldn't resist reading it myself when I saw it was about food. It is a simple yet inspiring story about learning to respect each other's cultural and lifestyle differences. Friends Lily and Salma eat lunch together every]]>ElyseM2017-09-07T13:17:32ZThe Sandwich Swap, by Queen Rania Al Abdullah, off of the shelf for a patron hold, and couldn't resist reading it myself when I saw it was about food. It is a simple yet inspiring story about learning to respect each other's cultural and lifestyle differences. Friends Lily and Salma eat lunch together every day, and can't help but be curious about what the other girl has brought from home. When they verbalize that curiosity, it tests their friendship, but ultimately, they discover a kinder approach that affects the entire school. Whoever put that book on hold, thanks-it's a fantastic story!]]>Owls: Our Most Charming Birdhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403601&blogid=1766
Because they are such a rare sight, it is easy to forget how
magnificent owls are. Every feature that makes us stop and stare actually
serves a very useful purpose. Those large piercing eyes ensure that they’ll
never lose sight of their prey. And those round moony faces actually serve as
satellite dishes to captur]]>MilanH2017-09-07T12:27:34ZBecause they are such a rare sight, it is easy to forget how
magnificent owls are. Every feature that makes us stop and stare actually
serves a very useful purpose. Those large piercing eyes ensure that they’ll
never lose sight of their prey. And those round moony faces actually serve as
satellite dishes to capture all sound and direct it towards their ears. All the
better to hear their next snack.

Matt Sewell has
captured the charm, and majesty of 47 different owls in his pleasing watercolor
illustrations. Check this book out today, and discover your new favorite owl!
My personal fave? The Greater Sooty Owl. They have little speckles that look
like stars in a night sky.

]]>Rolling Thunderhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403599&blogid=1766
This picture book, with spare text and rich
illustrations, captures the emotion of the Rolling Thunder Run, a motorcycle
rally held each Memorial Day in Washington D.C. to honor American armed
forces. &#160; It follows one young boy’s
experience of riding with his grandfather: &#160;
“Grandpa rides for Joe]]>Susan2017-09-07T10:33:52ZThis picture book, with spare text and rich
illustrations, captures the emotion of the Rolling Thunder Run, a motorcycle
rally held each Memorial Day in Washington D.C. to honor American armed
forces.It follows one young boy’s
experience of riding with his grandfather:“Grandpa rides for Joe and Tom, friends he lost in Vietnam.”It’s a poignant glimpse of one family’s
moment at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial.

]]>Bees: A Honeyed Historyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403592&blogid=1766
While I was passing by the "New
Arrivals" cart, this book practically jump into my hands.&#160; In other words, I could not help noticing this
gigantic yellow book about my favorite insect.&#160;
Bees: a honeyed history is a wonderful oversize book for kids and presents
nearly every fact about bees.&#160; ]]>KalaL2017-09-06T13:41:00ZWhile I was passing by the "New
Arrivals" cart, this book practically jump into my hands. In other words, I could not help noticing this
gigantic yellow book about my favorite insect.
Bees: a honeyed history is a wonderful oversize book for kids and presents
nearly every fact about bees. Abrams is dedicated to publishing "stunning visual books" and any
young reader could easily spend hours going through the pages of this one admiring
Piotr Socha's beautiful illustrations. The text was written by Wojciech
Grajkowski and translated by Agnes Monod-Gayraud. ]]>You Say To Brickhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403591&blogid=1766
Anyone who has seen the moving documentary, My Architect , will know of the complicated brilliance of the architect Louis Kahn. A new biography, You Say To Brick: The Life of Louis Kahn by Wendy Lesser, fills in the detail and the greater context that aren’t possible to cover in a documentary film format. Kahn was]]>mykyl2017-09-06T11:52:39ZMy Architect, will know of the complicated brilliance of the architect Louis Kahn. A new biography, You Say To Brick: The Life of Louis Kahn by Wendy Lesser, fills in the detail and the greater context that aren’t possible to cover in a documentary film format. Kahn was an enigma of a man, with facial scarring from a childhood accident and often appearing disheveled from all-night drafting sessions, he was a self-described terrible businessman (his buildings were all completed late and over budget) but possessed an irresistible charisma and an almost mystical approach to architecture that left an indelible mark in his field and on the world.]]>Yellowstonehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403579&blogid=1766
I think it’s pretty safe to say
that I won’t be making the trip to Yellowstone National Park anytime
soon. But, I can celebrate the 100 th anniversary of the
National Park Service (albeit a few months late) with the help of this book.
Subtitled A Journey through America’s Wild Heart, one finds herein a
short h]]>David D.2017-09-01T16:57:17Z think it’s pretty safe to say
that I won’t be making the trip to Yellowstone National Park anytime
soon. But, I can celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
National Park Service (albeit a few months late) with the help of this book.
Subtitled A Journey through America’s Wild Heart, one finds herein a
short history of the park; however, author David Quammen’s purpose in writing
this book is to describe the park as it exists today. One would expect to find
great photography in a publication from the National Geographic Society, and
this work is no exception. The unconventional size (7” tall x 10” wide) adds to
the uniqueness of this volume. For a good survey of life in today’s
Yellowstone, take a look at this.]]>Cute Storyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403573&blogid=1766
Rose is written by local Kalamazoo author, Jessica Aguilera . It’s a
cute story and Jessica did the illustrations herself by using cutouts that she
layered together and then photographed.
Rose was self-published.
]]>JudiR2017-08-31T20:05:08Z

Rose is written by local Kalamazoo author, Jessica Aguilera. It’s a
cute story and Jessica did the illustrations herself by using cutouts that she
layered together and then photographed.

Rose was self-published.

]]>Roundhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403559&blogid=1766
“ Round ,” a 2017 title by Newbery-Honor winning poet Joyce Sidman , and illustrated by Taeeun Yoo , is a wonderful new addition to our “Concepts” picture book neighborhood. Designed for children aged 4-7, the story explores many of the circular shapes found in everyday life, both big and small, with charming illustr]]>AlexM2017-08-29T10:15:26ZRound,” a 2017 title by Newbery-Honor winning poet Joyce Sidman, and illustrated by Taeeun Yoo, is a wonderful new addition to our “Concepts” picture book neighborhood. Designed for children aged 4-7, the story explores many of the circular shapes found in everyday life, both big and small, with charming illustrations that inspire interest in the basic geometry of the world.]]>All the Wild that Remainshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403532&blogid=1766
On my vacation trip to Utah this year, I brought along All the Wild that Remains by David Gessner . Gessner is a creative writing professor at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and is well known for his nature writing. Although he is a New Englander, he fell in love with the West and two revered and i]]>Steve S2017-08-25T15:09:47ZOn my vacation trip to Utah this year, I brought along All the Wild that Remains by David Gessner. Gessner is a creative writing professor at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and is well known for his nature writing. Although he is a New Englander, he fell in love with the West and two revered and influential writers: Wallace Stegner and Edward Abbey, during some time he spent there in his 20s.

In All the Wild that Remains, Gessner travels around the West to important places in Stegner’s and Abbey’s lives; sometimes interviewing old friends of theirs, and commenting on these writers’ legacies and what they taught us about living in the West.

Stegner, my favorite author, spent some of his formative years in Salt Lake City and chose to have his papers archived at the University of Utah rather than Stanford where he founded and led an outstanding writing program that boasts a long line of famous attendees such as: Larry McMurtry, Wendell Berry, Ken Kesey, Robert Stone, and our other featured author, Edward Abbey. Stegner fought to preserve the wild places of the West in many ways and is best remembered in environmental circles for what is called the Wilderness Letter, which was influential in creating the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Abbey lived a wilder life and his novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang, was the inspiration for the creation of the environmental organization Earth First!. Many agree that his masterpiece though is the autobiographicalDesert Solitaire that Abbey wrote about his time as a park ranger in Arches National Park. Unable to attend Abbey’s funeral celebration in southern Utah, Stegner sent these words for Wendell Berry to read, "He had the zeal of a true believer and a stinger like a scorpion . . . He was a red-hot moment in the life of the country, and I suspect that the half-life of his intransigence will be like that of uranium."

If you haven’t heard of either of these authors, it wouldn’t be that surprising. They were characterized as Western authors and therefore, somewhat ignored by the East Coast literati, much to Stegner’s chagrin. Stegner’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel Angle of Repose wasn’t even reviewed in the New York Times Book Review.

But now you know about them, so add them to your reading lists.

]]>Government Sponsored Segregationhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403508&blogid=1766
If anyone is curious about why people live where they live, this book is a must read. Richard Rothstein makes an irrefutable, well-researched, and well written account of how our government segregated America, created ghettos, allowed suburbs to be whites-only, and created the multi-generational problem that still exi]]>MattS2017-08-23T08:41:53ZIf anyone is curious about why people live where they live, this book is a must read. Richard Rothstein makes an irrefutable, well-researched, and well written account of how our government segregated America, created ghettos, allowed suburbs to be whites-only, and created the multi-generational problem that still exists today. Every aspect of the government was involved: federal, state, local, city commissions, non-profits, churches, community groups, administrative agencies, the police. The book expands its analysis to other kinds of discrimination that compounded segregation: whites-only unions, taxing African American homeowners more than white people, building schools to reinforce segregation, suppressing the incomes of African Americans in various ways, and physical violence towards African Americans trying to move into white neighborhoods - which the police largely ignored.

The book offers many moderate, urban planning solutions to foster integration. But he also thinks a radical solution is in order, if only we could accept as a country that the problem necessitates a remedy that matches the damage already done:

"We might contemplate a remedy like this: Considering that African Americans comprise about 15 percent of the population of the New York metropolitan area, the federal government should purchase the next 15 percent of houses that come up for sale in Levittown at today's market rates (approximately $350,000). It should then resell the properties to qualified African Americans for $75,000, the price (in today's dollars) that their grandparents would have paid if permitted to do so. The government should enact this program in every suburban development whose construction complied with the FHA's discriminatory requirements [referring to racist FHA policy]".

]]>Reverse White Flighthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403472&blogid=1766
Before reading this book, I knew very little about gentrification. It made me think of Grand Rapids and Detroit. I had the intuition that it was bad for people of color–turns out my intuition was right—but I didn’t know exactly how it happened, who was pulling the gears and making the policies and building the apartme]]>MattS2017-08-16T08:52:09ZBefore reading this book, I knew very little about gentrification. It made me think of Grand Rapids and Detroit. I had the intuition that it was bad for people of color–turns out my intuition was right—but I didn’t know exactly how it happened, who was pulling the gears and making the policies and building the apartments. It’s much more than white hipsters moving in, opening coffee shops, inflating rent prices, and displacing black people – although that’s part of it. After all, who doesn’t like a fancy coffee shop, right?

That’s not the point and misses the bigger picture.

Gentrification is a multi-decade urban planning tool used to increase city revenue by cutting services to the poor and giving money to the rich (in the form of business subsidies and real estate development). In that sense, it’s capitalism. After Ronald Reagan changed the way cities get funded (less federal spending on social services), gentrification was sort of a predicable result. The end game of gentrification, whether intentional or not, is the massive displacement of poor and middle class people from their apartments (disproportionately people of color), making way for whiter and wealthier people and business. The final stage of gentrification, ironically, is a city that no longer has people living in it, a completely unaffordable city, a city that houses the wealth of billionaires from around the world in the form of real estate capital—much like New York City. This book is part research, part social commentary, and part memoir. The author essentially does walking tours of four major cities, remembering the good old days and making fun of the new coffee shops and high-rise apartments and art studios. This gets a little repetitive after a while, I must say. Other than that, I enjoyed the book.

To get to the most important part of the book – the alternatives to gentrification – you have to read the last chapter. The author suggests rent control laws, using “land banked” property for affordable housing, constructing public housing, building infrastructure to accommodate more people living in cities, and raising taxes to spend on the poor.

]]>The Fire This Timehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403453&blogid=1766
As a white person, watching the events unfold at Charlottesville this past weekend has been a bit surreal—and, of course, deeply disturbing. It’s hard to believe that in 2017 white nationalism is so prominent, but I think it’s hard for me to understand because I don’t experience oppression based on my skin color the ]]>CaitAmy2017-08-14T10:10:37ZAs a white person, watching the events unfold at Charlottesville this past weekend has been a bit surreal—and, of course, deeply disturbing. It’s hard to believe that in 2017 white nationalism is so prominent, but I think it’s hard for me to understand because I don’t experience oppression based on my skin color the way people of color do. As a white person, I’m often wondering what I can do to help change things and make it so white supremacy has no place in our country. As a librarian, I know that knowledge is power and that we have plenty of knowledge behind our doors. I can suggest a few books for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of racism in the U.S.: The Fire Next Timeand The Fire this Time: a new generation speaks about race. The Fire Next Time is a beautiful, poetically written essay by James Baldwin, published in 1963 as the civil rights movement was gaining traction in the U.S. I read it when I was 20, in a Black American Literature class at WMU, and was deeply moved by Baldwin’s experiences as a black man and his passionate call for racial justice 100 years after the end of slavery.

Fire this Time: a new generation speaks about race is a collection of essays and poetry by black writers published in 2016 and edited by Jesmyn Ward, winner of the 2011 National Book Award for her novel Savage the Bones. It’s response to Baldwin’s essay and a continued rallying call for racial justice over 50 years after his essay was originally published. Comparing and contrasting these two books is a great way for white people to deepen their understanding of racism and its hold in the U.S.

If you are interested in learning more about racism or other topics related to social justice, I suggest searching “KPL Social Justice collection” in our catalog. The library has begun gathering works on a variety of topics, such as racism, feminism, ableism, and more in an effort to support social justice in the Kalamazoo community. You can learn more about our social justice commitment here.

]]>Snow Flower and the Secret Fanhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403411&blogid=1766
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan , by Lisa See, takes place in 19th century China and tells the story of two women, Lily and Snow Flower. The girls, as decided by their parents and a matchmaker, become laotong when they are children. Laotong are more than best friends. They are sisters united by similarities such as b]]>ElyseM2017-08-07T17:37:23ZSnow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See, takes place in 19th century China and tells the story of two women, Lily and Snow Flower. The girls, as decided by their parents and a matchmaker, become laotong when they are children. Laotong are more than best friends. They are sisters united by similarities such as birthday, foot size, number of siblings, and other factors, and promise to maintain a deep, loving relationship throughout all stages of life. They even write and sign their own laotong contract. Lily narrates hers and Snow Flower’s lives, describing their foot binding, marriages, children, and other significant events that they experience and that test their loyalty to each other and the contract they signed. The two women communicate to each other by writing in nu shu, the secret women’s language, on a fan they pass back and forth. This book illuminates historical Chinese culture and the way women lived during that time while also encompassing complex, universal themes. At times, the novel was not easy to read, due to the injustices against females that I perceived as a modern Western woman. However, I enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan quite a lot. Those with an interest in other cultures and historical periods should add this one to their reading lists.]]>Everyone Brave is Forgivenhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403409&blogid=1766
I first fell in love with Chris Cleave’s writing in Little Bee , and when I read this novel set during World War II, I fell in love all over again. But as with a person, it can be hard to pinpoint what about a book makes you fall in love, particularly when the book depicts so many horrors of war.
I recently reread]]>KitA2017-08-07T12:55:39ZI first fell in love with Chris Cleave’s writing in Little Bee, and when I read this novel set during World War II, I fell in love all over again. But as with a person, it can be hard to pinpoint what about a book makes you fall in love, particularly when the book depicts so many horrors of war.

I recently reread Everyone Brave is Forgiven to try to figure it out, and I think what most draws me to Cleave’s writing is that his characters are so full of heart and spirit that even bleak events (or the telling of them) seem to have redeeming value.

Cleave’s descriptions and dialog are vibrant and often humorous, and his writing is masterfully paced, playing with the way time can elapse very slowly and then without warning stand still on a sudden dramatic event. It’s quite a balancing act and evokes the precarious experience of going through daily life under the constant threat of bombing.

This is a story of suffering and tragedy, but paradoxically, the message I take away from it is of survival, redemption, bravery, and love.

]]>Picturing Americahttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403407&blogid=1766
S ubtitled ‘The Golden Age of
Pictorial Maps,’ this is definitely a book that has to be seen to be fully
appreciated. It is beautiful. Printed on high quality paper, the maps contained
herein are not the kind one would find in a standard atlas, and certainly not
on Mapquest or Google maps. These are, in their own w]]>David D.2017-08-04T15:46:34Zubtitled ‘The Golden Age of
Pictorial Maps,’ this is definitely a book that has to be seen to be fully
appreciated. It is beautiful. Printed on high quality paper, the maps contained
herein are not the kind one would find in a standard atlas, and certainly not
on Mapquest or Google maps. These are, in their own way, real works of art. The
subdivisions are maps to amuse, maps to instruct, maps of place and region,
maps for industry, maps for war, and maps for postwar America. I automatically
looked to see if there was a map of Michigan and found the 1935 ‘Map of the
Commonwealth of Michigan,’ which shows illustrations of natural features and
major industries. The essence of these maps can be summarized in the tribute on
page 33 to mapmaker Ernest Dudley Chase: The man who turns the prose of maps
into the poetry of art. What a wonderful addition to KPL’s collection!]]>What Elephants Knowhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403399&blogid=1766
What Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein is an engrossing read that has garnered effusive praise from numerous reviewers including animal advocate Jane Goodall. It has also won the South Asia Book Award. Dinerstein is a wildlife scientist currently serving as the director of biodiversity at RESOLVE, an organization]]>TeresaM-R2017-08-03T16:45:11ZWhat Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein is an engrossing read that has garnered effusive praise from numerous reviewers including animal advocate Jane Goodall. It has also won the South Asia Book Award. Dinerstein is a wildlife scientist currently serving as the director of biodiversity at RESOLVE, an organization devoted to wildlife preservation solutions. Earlier in his professional career he spent a great deal of time in Nepal, studying both elephants and tigers. Both Nepal and these two particular species are central to this novel.

It is told in first person by the narrator, Nandu,, who survives being abandoned in the Nepalese jungle by being cared for by a pack of wild dogs or dholes. He is rescued by an old man , Subba-sahib, the owner of an elephant stable used by the king for tiger hunt expeditions. Nandu comes to see the old man as his father and a sweet protective female elephant, Devi Kali, as his mother.

The book's main focus is on Nandu, now age twelve,who is very fond of animals and treats them all with respect.By saving a tigress during a royal hunt, Nandu brings upon himself both praise from the king and scorn from his entourage. The latter hatch a plot to close down Nandu's father's elephant stable, but Nandu tries to save the day with a plan of his own.

This book is a quick-paced fun informative read for all animal lovers from fourth graders to adults.I'ts just that good and that important.

The Kalamazoo Public Library is sponsoring a visit by author Dinerstein scheduled in mid October, not to be missed.

]]>Steven Universe: Art and Originshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403393&blogid=1766
Animated series Steven Universe is one of the most beautiful shows on
television right now, and has inspired a large and devoted fandom. I think what
sets the show apart is that every element of the show is carried out
thoughtfully – from the story and development of the characters, to the sound
editing, even the]]>MilanH2017-08-02T12:55:52ZAnimated series Steven Universe is one of the most beautiful shows on
television right now, and has inspired a large and devoted fandom. I think what
sets the show apart is that every element of the show is carried out
thoughtfully – from the story and development of the characters, to the sound
editing, even the tiniest details nestled into the background are often
purposely drawn in to foreshadow future events.

It’s always a treat to watch a new, perfectly polished
episode of Steven Universe, but it is fascinating to flip through this book and
see early character designs and to read Rebecca Sugar’s early thoughts about
who the characters were when she pitched the pilot and who they have now become. In this book we get to
see rejected episode storylines, unfinished storyboards, and we also get to
read about the creator’s childhood, the projects she was working on in college,
and the cartoons she watched growing up. A must read for any fan of the show.

]]>Smoothies Foreverhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403379&blogid=1766
Over the past several years, I've attempted to reduce my sugar and ice cream intake (not an easy endeavor) by experimenting with a variety of smoothies solutions. Smoothies can be a great way to add a tasteful source of protein to your diet as well. Be they green and full of super foods like spinach, kale, mango and pi]]>RyanG2017-08-01T10:32:02Zrecipes that will aid in your finding of the perfect combination.]]>The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403373&blogid=1766
The village of La Paz endures changes that include lots of
singing, to no singing, to a rooster joining the community that simply would not be quiet .&#160; The rooster always has a
positive side to look at and shares that in his humble rooster way.&#160; Woven into this book are messages about
bullying, persevera]]>Jill L2017-07-31T09:07:23ZThe village of La Paz endures changes that include lots of
singing, to no singing, to a rooster joining the community that simply would not be quiet. The rooster always has a
positive side to look at and shares that in his humble rooster way. Woven into this book are messages about
bullying, perseverance, politics, resistance and the strong voices we are all
born with. Read this book with your
children and in classrooms and encourage the young people in your life to keep
talking so that their voices are always heard.

]]>Echohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403370&blogid=1766
When more than one patron and all the youth librarians you know, say you should listen to a particular audiobook, you must listen. &#160; Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan is an incredible book but it might be the best audiobook I've ever listened to. It's so good that I want to keep driving around instead of parking my]]>AndreaV2017-07-29T15:25:49ZWhen more than one patron and all the youth librarians you know, say you should listen to a particular audiobook, you must listen.Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan is an incredible book but it might be the best audiobook I've ever listened to. It's so good that I want to keep driving around instead of parking my car and getting to work. It's a story within a story about a young boy named Frederik, living in the heart of the Black Forest, during the early Hitler years. His father, an accomplished cellist, is deemed a Jewish sympathizer and is arrested and taken from Frederik. He's left to figure out how to navigate this most dangerous new world without him. But did I mention, Frederik does carry with him a magical harmonica. And that's just Part 1. Part 2 opens in Pennsylvania! This incredible story is suspenseful and superbly performed, with multiple voices and musical pieces throughout. It's historical fiction and fantasy combined into one amazing story. Available from KPL in print, Ebook, and audiobook as Compact Disc or through our downloadable service, Hoopla.]]>The Way Home in the Nighthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403360&blogid=1766
The Way Home in the Night ,&#160; Akiko Miyakoshi 's new picture book, is truly lovely. The anthropomorphized animal characters in this new picture book are so expressive and the portrayal of a child's thoughts while being carried home through quiet streets at the end of a long day are so sweet. The Way Home in th]]>BillC2017-07-28T14:49:18ZThe Way Home in the Night, Akiko Miyakoshi's new picture book, is truly lovely. The anthropomorphized animal characters in this new picture book are so expressive and the portrayal of a child's thoughts while being carried home through quiet streets at the end of a long day are so sweet. The Way Home in the Night is a beautiful picture book that will leave you feeling better than you did before you read it. Akiko Miyakoshi is also the creator of the highly acclaimed picture books The Tea Party in the Woods and The Storm.

The summer months are a fascinating time to experience night; there's so much going on! But there are picture books about the world at night at all times of the year: Owl Moon, Mr. Moon, The House in the Night, Twenty Yawns, and more. Let's get out there! But first, (so sleepy) we'll just close our eyes for a minute...

]]>The Singing Boneshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403350&blogid=1766
Inspired by the folktales and fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, Shaun Tan's The Singing Bones is neither a retelling of these old stories nor a picture book but instead a combination of the two. The Singing Bones combines short snippets of text with weird and beautiful sculptural illustrations that offer us a new ]]>Stewart F.2017-07-27T11:01:31ZThe Singing Bones is neither a retelling of these old stories nor a picture book but instead a combination of the two. The Singing Bones combines short snippets of text with weird and beautiful sculptural illustrations that offer us a new look at these classic stories. While we all know the story of "Snow White", for example, the depiction of the evil Queen as a blood-red, spiky-topped demon face is a strange new way of seeing that character. On the other hand, the illustration for "The Boots of Buffalo Leather" is so utterly weird that you'll want to look up this forgotten tale just to see what could have inspired it.]]>Pottedhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403315&blogid=1766
If you’re looking for a little inspiration for your patio or trying to perk up your houseplants, Potted: Make Your Own Stylish Garden Plants is a great place to start. Potted offers a variety of fun d.i.y projects to build cool and creative pots for all sorts of plants, whether in outdoors spaces or inside on a ]]>CaitAmy2017-07-21T14:18:02ZPotted: Make Your Own Stylish Garden Plants is a great place to start. Potted offers a variety of fun d.i.y projects to build cool and creative pots for all sorts of plants, whether in outdoors spaces or inside on a windowsill. The instructions are detailed and include a number of pictures, making these d.i.y’s a no-brainer.]]>Kim & Kimhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403276&blogid=1766
Kim &amp; Kim is a vibrant and humorous adult comic series that stars butt-kicking female bounty hunters Kim Quatro and Kim Dantzler, who favor as weapons a blue guitar and a pink gun respectively. The Kims really just want to make enough money to pay their rent, without having to ask their parents and friends for h]]>ElyseM2017-07-17T15:36:15ZKim & Kim is a vibrant and humorous adult comic series that stars butt-kicking female bounty hunters Kim Quatro and Kim Dantzler, who favor as weapons a blue guitar and a pink gun respectively. The Kims really just want to make enough money to pay their rent, without having to ask their parents and friends for hand-outs.

The series takes place in a futuristic, outer space setting, and exudes color and imagination. The first volume, titled This Glamorous, High-Flying Rock Star Life, contains issues 1-4. Magdalene Visaggio is the writer; Eva Cabrera pencils and inks; colorist Claudia Aguirre adds bubblegum brightness; letterer Zaak Saam and editor Katy Rex complete the team. I expect that fans of Nimona, Rat Queens and Scott Pilgrim will take a shine to Kim & Kim.

]]>Flying Couchhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403271&blogid=1766
There’s something about graphic memoirs that allows them to
resonate with me in a way that normal memoirs do not. When a person’s life
story is illustrated in frames that capture snapshots of their life, it’s even
easier to put myself in their shoes and feel their experiences.
If you’re looking for a particularl]]>MilanH2017-07-15T10:05:31ZThere’s something about graphic memoirs that allows them to
resonate with me in a way that normal memoirs do not. When a person’s life
story is illustrated in frames that capture snapshots of their life, it’s even
easier to put myself in their shoes and feel their experiences.

If you’re looking for a particularly beautiful graphic memoir, look no further than Flying Couch,
by Amy Kurzweil. This book encompasses two stories: it is centrally focused on Kurzweil, and her experience finding her identity as a Jewish woman, and along the way, the memoir is interlaced with her grandmother’s story of surviving the holocaust by assuming the
identity of a Polish gentile girl. I loved learning about a culture so
different from my own, and traveling with Kurzweil as she goes from Michigan,
to New York, Israel, and Germany. I heartily recommend it.

]]>Princess in Blackhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403268&blogid=1766
I have new reader in my life and their favorite book right now is any title from Shannon Hale and Dean Hale's Princess in Black series. The writing is great and the books are entertaining for kids and adults. KPL owns so many books by Shannon Hale and they are all just as excellent. Some are novels and others ar]]>AndreaV2017-07-14T10:14:39ZI have new reader in my life and their favorite book right now is any title from Shannon Hale and Dean Hale's Princess in Black series. The writing is great and the books are entertaining for kids and adults. KPL owns so many books by Shannon Hale and they are all just as excellent. Some are novels and others are graphic novels. She writes for kids, teens, and adults. Other favorites of mine include the Books of Bayern, a retold fairy tale series for tweens and teens, Real Friends, a graphic memoir about middle school, and Dangerous, an action packed dystopian fantasy for teens.]]>Deep Look at Universal Basic Incomehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403264&blogid=1766
Unfortunately I stopped reading this book because the writing was dry and academic. I don't mean it had a lot of data, graphs, and analysis - of course it did - I just mean that the writing wasn't smooth, entertaining, exciting, or narrative-driven in any way.
Oh, what have I become! I used to love these books! App]]>MattS2017-07-13T11:50:00ZUnfortunately I stopped reading this book because the writing was dry and academic. I don't mean it had a lot of data, graphs, and analysis - of course it did - I just mean that the writing wasn't smooth, entertaining, exciting, or narrative-driven in any way.

Oh, what have I become! I used to love these books! Apparently my college days of reading are gone.

I also got a little bogged down in the economics, which is frankly over my head.

Anyway, this is a very deep look into the concept, theory, and practice of Universal Basic Income. See my previous post for a more accessible, American-centered book on UBI (which I did read from cover to cover).

The book ends of proposing what they call a "partial basic income." In this model, every citizen gets a monthly paycheck from the government. This amount is "partial" because it doesn't lift a person above the poverty line. Other welfare programs are kept intact and used to get people over the poverty line. It's more complicated than other UBI models, but the authors go into great detail on why they think it's the right call.

]]>Bee and Mehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403260&blogid=1766
Alison Jay has illustrated a wonderful, wordless picture book, Bee &amp; Me . &#160;The first time I "read" it, I named the little girl Alice. &#160;Alice meets a tiny Bee that happens to enter her world through her bedroom window in the big city. &#160;The two become inseparable as Alice learns to care for her frien]]>KalaL2017-07-12T15:59:17ZAlison Jay has illustrated a wonderful, wordless picture book, Bee & Me. The first time I "read" it, I named the little girl Alice. Alice meets a tiny Bee that happens to enter her world through her bedroom window in the big city. The two become inseparable as Alice learns to care for her friend the Bee. It wasn't until the second time I read the book that I realized I had to give Roger a name (and then I changed Alice's name to Mariah). The best thing about wordless picture books is the endless adventures that can be created with each reading. The next time I read it, Laura, Nigel and Horace (that’s the Bee) will share a new adventure.]]>Understanding the Southern White Tea Partyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403257&blogid=1766
The author, a liberal Berkeley sociologist, goes into the deep south and follows around a handful of Tea Party advocates. Although the premise of this book is noble - to empathize with the far right - I really wonder if this book accomplishes that goal. Or worse, backfires. I feel that Republicans might be offended th]]>MattS2017-07-11T09:19:02ZThe author, a liberal Berkeley sociologist, goes into the deep south and follows around a handful of Tea Party advocates. Although the premise of this book is noble - to empathize with the far right - I really wonder if this book accomplishes that goal. Or worse, backfires. I feel that Republicans might be offended that these people are giving them a bad name, especially after reading the book. And I feel that Democrats, especially liberal ones, might be horrified at what these people saying - verifying their worst fears and creating even more distance between them.

The overarching political narrative of the book is about poverty, lack of education, environmental disaster, corporate greed, and politicians who don't care about the people they serve. I'm talking about Louisiana, and all of these forces hit the people very hard. The personal stories of how these Tea Party people were affected by politics and things beyond their control is disturbing indeed and that, to me, is where a lot of compassion kicks in. In the end, you get a sense of where they're coming from.

Still, there is an undercurrent of racism in the background, lingering and festering; the idea that white taxes are going to those lazy, poor urban people "cutting in line". The author doesn't want to judge, so she remains silent. That needs to be addressed.

I would really love to hear other thoughts about this book, from people with various political views.

]]>1971http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403256&blogid=1766
Never a Dull Moment: 1971, the Year That Rock Exploded is
the title of this 2016 book that puts forth the assertion that 1971 was a
pivotal year in popular music. There are 12 chapters, one for each month of the
year. Many musicians and groups are discussed, such as Don McLean, Sly and the
Family Stone, the Who, ]]>David D.2017-07-10T20:27:51ZNever a Dull Moment: 1971, the Year That Rock Exploded is
the title of this 2016 book that puts forth the assertion that 1971 was a
pivotal year in popular music. There are 12 chapters, one for each month of the
year. Many musicians and groups are discussed, such as Don McLean, Sly and the
Family Stone, the Who, the Rolling Stones, the Carpenters, Carly Simon, Judy
Collins, and many, many more. For readers under say, 55, this could be an
introduction. For others like myself, who as a freshman and sophomore at WMU
experienced 1971 firsthand along with lots of its music, it will be a
review of the music complemented with stories of the musicians. These
accounts are given a backdrop of the political, social, and economic climate of
the time, adding to the interest of this book.]]>Solving poverty by giving people moneyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403254&blogid=1766
What happens when all semi trucks are self-driving? Heck, Uber even has it in their business plan. What about robots that flip burgers (already exists)? And software that makes investments? And 3D printers that can build a house in 24 hours (already exists)? Some experts (not all) have predicted that the future holds ]]>MattS2017-07-10T11:49:46ZWhat happens when all semi trucks are self-driving? Heck, Uber even has it in their business plan. What about robots that flip burgers (already exists)? And software that makes investments? And 3D printers that can build a house in 24 hours (already exists)? Some experts (not all) have predicted that the future holds the elimination of jobs (blue collar and white) that we have never seen in human history.

Universal Basic Income - i.e., giving every citizen $1,000 dollars a month, no questions asked - was a new concept to me until a few months ago. Since then, I've watch some TED talks, heard about it in the news (Hawaii is considering it apparently), and read this nice book by Andy Stern, former labor leader turned UBI proponent.

The idea is very simple (albeit expensive). Rather than have welfare programs, we simply give all citizens enough money to get them out of poverty. The "universal" part is also simple: everyone gets the money, no matter if they work or not. Even rich people.

What really impressed me about the book is how it convinces the reader that both ends of the political spectrum - progressives and libertarians - have solid reasons to get behind UBI, and therefore it might even get support. Martin Luther Jr. supported UBI, but so did Richard Nixon. The book is enjoyable, easy to read, and is full of interviews from a spectrum of various thoughts.

]]>ONE BABY BUNNY WITH TICKLISH EARS SO FUNNYhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403253&blogid=1766
Tickle My Ears is a very sweet and simple interactive board book for toddlers. Young readers help a little rabbit prepare for bed by getting him into his pajamas, fluffing his pillow, tucking him in, etc.
A book with expressive, irresistible illustrations and words by Jorg Muhle, it is meant to be read and reread]]>TeresaM-R2017-07-10T11:43:37ZTickle My Ears is a very sweet and simple interactive board book for toddlers. Young readers help a little rabbit prepare for bed by getting him into his pajamas, fluffing his pillow, tucking him in, etc.

A book with expressive, irresistible illustrations and words by Jorg Muhle, it is meant to be read and reread for the delight of every young child.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of our very smart bunny named Patrick, who lived in our household about seven years . He died in late April from kidney failure at the age of ten. Patrick, you will never be forgotten!

]]>Jim Harrison Reduxhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403249&blogid=1766
When Jim Harrison passed away last year it was not necessarily a big surprise to anyone, the 79 year old's health had been declining for years and his unrepentant overindulgent lifestyle was the thing of legends, yet rereading Harrison’s work this summer has given me a heightened sense of what has been lost with his pa]]>mykyl2017-07-07T13:53:36ZHunter S. Thompson, these all describe Harrison, but you also must add poet, devoted husband, bird watcher, gourmand, and naturalist to this list in order to get a more complete picture of the Michigan native. Harrison also happens to be responsible for some of my absolute favorite book jacket bio photos, which themselves give you a sense of the man's distinct lack of care for what anyone thought of him. A new collection, A Really Big Lunch, of 47 previously published rambling essays dating from between 1981 and 2015 about food, writing, life, and much more, is a great way to get to know Harrison. I can almost guarantee that reading some of these essays will compel you to explore more of Harrison’s work, of which there are copious amounts of novels, novellas, nonfiction, and books of poetry to enjoy. Like the legendary 37-course, 11-hour lunch from which the essay collection gets its title, delving into Jim Harrison’s bibliography can be a time commitment, but in the end it proves deeply satisfying.]]>Norse Mythology, Told Three Wayshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403248&blogid=1766
The recently released Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman is by no means new stories. They are very old stories. They are stories so old that the details have been blurred with the passage of time. Gaiman retells these stories in a way that reads like a novel. It begins with an expansive and rich creation story, telling ]]>AmyAH2017-07-06T11:16:31ZThe recently released Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman is by no means new stories. They are very old stories. They are stories so old that the details have been blurred with the passage of time. Gaiman retells these stories in a way that reads like a novel. It begins with an expansive and rich creation story, telling how gods, the world, and people came into existence. Then, we hear the stories of the gods, giants, demons, and people who populate the legendary 9 worlds. We meet Thor, and learn how he got his hammer, called Mjölnir. We hear of all the ways that Loki, the Trickster, manipulates and deceives the gods repeatedly and seemingly for his own amusement. We learn where bad poetry comes from. Finally, we see it all destroyed in Ragnorok, the epic battle that will end the reign of the gods of Asgard.

The joy of stories is in the retelling. In the book The Gospel of Loki (by Joanne Harris), we get to hear the same stories, but told from Loki’s perspective. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if he is convincing as a sympathetic character betrayed by the “popular crowd” of Asgard, an evil deity bent on destruction, or something in between.

What if the stories don’t end there? American Gods (by Neil Gaiman), explores the idea of gods being brought to America with their believers, and what happens to them once they are here. Do gods need belief to keep existing? What about the new gods of America, such as Media, and Technology? American Gods follows the story of Shadow Moon. In the first few pages of the book we meet Shadow in prison, where he is released a few days early because his wife has been killed in an auto accident. He meets a mysterious man who calls himself Wednesday, who offers Shadow the job of escorting and protecting him. What I like about this book is the atmosphere and feel that the author is able to create. It’s part road trip story, part epic legend.

]]>Kizzy Anne Stamps is an excellent storyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403232&blogid=1766
Virginia schools are integrating and Kizzy Anne Stamps is about to start a new school. Although, Kizzy is strong willed and stubborn she’s nervous about attending school with white kids. Her old-school teacher suggested she become acquainted with her new teacher so Kizzy started writing her letters. She told Mrs. An]]>JudiR2017-06-30T22:57:59ZVirginia schools are integrating and Kizzy Anne Stamps is about to start a new school. Although, Kizzy is strong willed and stubborn she’s nervous about attending school with white kids. Her old-school teacher suggested she become acquainted with her new teacher so Kizzy started writing her letters. She told Mrs. Anderson all about herself, her dreams and her struggles.

This is a great story about a little girl and her border collie dog, Shag. She had a lot of challenges but she met them with strength, kindness and humor.

]]>A Horrifying Time in Our Historyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403210&blogid=1766
In the 1920s, the Osage were very wealthy, for the times, from the discovery of oil. As other tribal lands were being parceled out and the government was forcing the assimilation of the Native American culture, the Osage had negotiated the mineral rights for their corner of Oklahoma….and then oil was discovered!
]]>AnnR2017-06-30T10:25:04ZIn the 1920s, the Osage were very wealthy, for the times, from the discovery of oil. As other tribal lands were being parceled out and the government was forcing the assimilation of the Native American culture, the Osage had negotiated the mineral rights for their corner of Oklahoma….and then oil was discovered!

J. Edgar Hoover decided this would be the perfect showcase for his new agency, the FBI. The investigation revealed a plan to take away the Osage fortune by killing over two dozen of the tribal members.

This is a compelling, horrifying story that has been lost in main stream history. I imagine it has not been lost in Osage or Oklahoma history.

This is my last book blog as KPL director. As I become a frequent library patron, I’ll continue to follow what the staff is reading and add many of their suggestions to my reading list. I expect to have more time to read!

]]>The Secret Subwayhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403205&blogid=1766
The Secret Subway tells the story of Alfred Ely Beach and his Beach Pneumatic Transit, the earliest predecessor to New York City's subway system, unveiled in 1870. What drew me to this book initially was Red Nose Studio 's (Chris Sickels) art: photographs of elaborate dioramas he made from clay and cardboard. B]]>AngelaF2017-06-29T17:11:13ZThe Secret Subway tells the story of Alfred Ely Beach and his Beach Pneumatic Transit, the earliest predecessor to New York City's subway system, unveiled in 1870. What drew me to this book initially was Red Nose Studio's (Chris Sickels) art: photographs of elaborate dioramas he made from clay and cardboard. But beyond the remarkable art is a story of a person who had an idea and worked for years to try to make it a reality.

]]>Strong Female Protagonisthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403186&blogid=1766
Mega Girl discovered she had superpowers at age 14. Super strength, invulnerability and the ability to leap over buildings in a single bound. It was great at first, but now she’s all grown up, and realizes that it takes a lot more than punching killer
robots to fix the world’s problems. At age 18, Alison decides to h]]>MilanH2017-06-28T16:43:02ZMega Girl discovered she had superpowers at age 14. Super strength, invulnerability and the ability to leap over buildings in a single bound. It was great at first, but now she’s all grown up, and realizes that it takes a lot more than punching killer
robots to fix the world’s problems. At age 18, Alison decides to hang up the
cape and enroll in college to find a more meaningful way to change the world
but the past has a way of always catching up.

This graphic novel is a fresh and critical examination of
the superhero genre, questioning and overturning comic book tropes we often
take for granted while exploring what it actually means to be a hero. We have
the first volume here at the library, and the series continues online at strongfemaleprotagonist.com

]]>The Dividehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403180&blogid=1766
Over the years, I have enjoyed reading Matt Taibbi’s current events articles in Rolling Stone , although I did feel at times that his over the top, (but funny) vitriolic name calling cut into his credibility. He is undeniably intelligent and is excellent at explaining complex issues in easy to understand and enter]]>Steve S2017-06-28T10:19:44ZOver the years, I have enjoyed reading Matt Taibbi’s current events articles in Rolling Stone, although I did feel at times that his over the top, (but funny) vitriolic name calling cut into his credibility. He is undeniably intelligent and is excellent at explaining complex issues in easy to understand and entertaining prose.

For the first time, I delved into one of his books, The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap. Here Taibbi investigates the banking/housing financial crisis of 2008, where clearly fraudulent business practices led to the loss of 40% of the world’s wealth, but almost no one went to jail, alongside the proactive policing of the poor that is filling our jails even though crime is declining.

One thing he uncovers is that government agencies are reluctant to go after wealthy corporations because it would cost so much to bring those cases to trial and would be harder to win, because of the top notch lawyers these corporations can employ. On the other hand, the poor are vulnerable and easy to convict; low hanging fruit.

I ask myself if this is anything new. Hasn’t this divide always existed? Taibbi argues that the divide is growing and threatens our country’s foundational values.

]]>We Are Never Meeting in Real Lifehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403179&blogid=1766
I’m deeply in love with the book We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby. She writes with a candor that can be uncomfortable at times, but with a purpose: self-reflection that compels the reader to see their own humanity. This book is about what it is to be a person, because being a person is horrible ]]>CaitAmy2017-06-27T16:58:12ZWe Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby. She writes with a candor that can be uncomfortable at times, but with a purpose: self-reflection that compels the reader to see their own humanity. This book is about what it is to be a person, because being a person is horrible a lot of the time, occasionally all right, and usually ridiculously funny. Irby is so incredibly funny that I spit out my coffee multiple times while reading this book because I couldn’t control my laughter. Read this book.]]>TIDY TO A FAULThttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403153&blogid=1766
Author and Illustrator Emily Gravett has done it again! In "Tidy", she introduces us to Pete the Badger, who happens to be a cleanaholic. Pete was born to clean, scour, tidy up anything and everything; a daunting task if one lives in a forest. No tidying challenge is too big for Pete and he soon gets carried away resu]]>TeresaM-R2017-06-23T09:31:48ZAuthor and Illustrator Emily Gravett has done it again! In "Tidy", she introduces us to Pete the Badger, who happens to be a cleanaholic. Pete was born to clean, scour, tidy up anything and everything; a daunting task if one lives in a forest. No tidying challenge is too big for Pete and he soon gets carried away resulting in a disaster for the forest and its inhabitants.

Luckily, Pete and his friends set things right and Pete learns a valuable life lesson. Too much of a good thing may not be good after all!

This rhyming book is pure fun and the illustrations are delightful. It also effectively delivers a subtle message about preserving the environment. After all, as the saying goes "you don't know what you've got 'till its gone".

]]>Hungerhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403117&blogid=1766
In a world where “thin and fit” has become the (assumed) aspiration of every woman and one’s deviation from that end the standard by which women are so often judged, Roxane Gay’s new book, Hunger: A Memoir of My Body , stands out. It is brave, funny, and heart-wrenching, but mostly break-open honest, exposing an exis]]>KarenT2017-06-20T10:34:10ZIn a world where “thin and fit” has become the (assumed) aspiration of every woman and one’s deviation from that end the standard by which women are so often judged, Roxane Gay’s new book, Hunger: A Memoir of My Body, stands out. It is brave, funny, and heart-wrenching, but mostly break-open honest, exposing an existence few of us can fully appreciate. Until now…at least a little bit.

]]>Real Sisters Pretendhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403116&blogid=1766
Real Sisters Pretend is a simple and moving picture book about two sisters who, while pretending that they are princesses on a hike, talk about how they are not pretend sisters. Real Sisters Pretend is in Kalamazoo Public Library's Grow neighborhood of picture books. The grow neighborhood has picture books about ]]>BillC2017-06-19T17:30:19ZReal Sisters Pretend is a simple and moving picture book about two sisters who, while pretending that they are princesses on a hike, talk about how they are not pretend sisters. Real Sisters Pretend is in Kalamazoo Public Library's Grow neighborhood of picture books. The grow neighborhood has picture books about adoption, new baby, bereavement, divorce, first day of school, and more. Sisters Mia, a preschooler, and Tayja, school-aged, reckon with the comments of a lady at the grocery store the day before. The lady had asked them, "Are you real sisters?" and how Momma said "Of course they are." Even though Momma explained to them that the lady didn't understand about adoption, the story is about how the girls talk through their experience through play. While there is a message to this book, I don't think it's heavy handed. Rather, here is a lovely picture book that focuses on the close relationship between two sisters.]]>Detroit Terrorhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403101&blogid=1766
Terror in the City of Champions: Murder, Baseball, and the Secret Society that Shocked Depression Era Detroit – what a story!
This is a look at Detroit in the mid 1930s mixing sports, especially baseball, with the racist Black Legion killing spree. Although the Tigers figure prominently, the Lions and the Red ]]>AnnR2017-06-15T14:08:42ZTerror in the City of Champions: Murder, Baseball, and the Secret Society that Shocked Depression Era Detroit – what a story!

This is a look at Detroit in the mid 1930s mixing sports, especially baseball, with the racist Black Legion killing spree. Although the Tigers figure prominently, the Lions and the Red Wings, are also part of the story as is Joe Lewis. This was the time period with three major sports titles in Detroit at the same time. What a contrast to the Black Legion.

I didn’t grow up here and don’t know a lot of Michigan history but friends who did, didn’t know about this shameful time.

Added bonus: author, Tom Stanton, will be speaking at our Oshtemo Branch on Tuesday, July 25 at 6 PM. I expect he will discuss this history and his research, and will be signing books.

]]>Dewey the Library Cathttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403067&blogid=1766
I always thought library cats only existed in myths, until I read this book about Dewey Readmore Books, the library cat who had lived in the Spencer Public Library in Iowa for 19 years.&#160;
Dewey was left in the library's drop box one cold winter night, when the temperature was only minus 15 degrees outside. Si]]>AliceL2017-06-08T11:38:22ZI always thought library cats only existed in myths, until I read this book about Dewey Readmore Books, the library cat who had lived in the Spencer Public Library in Iowa for 19 years.

Dewey was left in the library's drop box one cold winter night, when the temperature was only minus 15 degrees outside. Since then he had become the king in the library. He brought light and laughter into the little town. Patrons went to the library just to see him and spend time with him. He had attracted media from all over the world.

I enjoyed reading this book as the author Vicki Myron, former director of the Spencer Public Library, shared how Dewey comforted her during her life's biggest challenges. I thought about how we all have different difficulties in life, but when we look back, most of the time we would see the small blessings surrounded us.

]]>Beach Househttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403060&blogid=1766
Short rhyming phrases tell the story of a
family’s trip from city home to beach house vacation: “Breathe salt air / squint
at the sun. Hot-foot hopping / Squeal and run.” &#160;&#160; The spare couplets are expanded upon in the
glorious watercolor illustrations of water and sunshine and kids and dogs and
sand ]]>Susan2017-06-06T15:32:01ZShort rhyming phrases tell the story of a
family’s trip from city home to beach house vacation: “Breathe salt air / squint
at the sun. Hot-foot hopping / Squeal and run.”The spare couplets are expanded upon in the
glorious watercolor illustrations of water and sunshine and kids and dogs and
sand and toys and hot dogs and kites and clams.Beach House is a lovely
summertime book!

]]>Beneath Wandering Starshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403051&blogid=1766
When this book showed up on my new books cart, I was first drawn in by the cover. It wasn’t a title I had been anticipating, but as I flipped it over to see what it was about, I knew I would be taking this one home. After her brother Lucas is wounded in Afghanistan, Gabi Santiago vows to hike the Camino de Santiago ]]>KirstenJ2017-06-05T15:29:53ZAfter her brother Lucas is wounded in Afghanistan, Gabi Santiago vows to hike the Camino de Santiago in his name. The only catch, her brother’s best friend Seth, whom Gabi hates, has to walk it with her. As they hike this centuries old pilgrimage searching for meaning, forgiveness, and a miracle for someone they both love, they begin to understand each other better, and more importantly, themselves. The Camino de Santiago has fascinated me for a long time. Five years ago, my mom and I watched a The Way (which I also highly recommend!), and I decided that I wanted to walk it. My mom and I agreed that in five years, when I turned 30, we would hike the Camino together, and finally that year has arrived. When this book appeared on my cart, it was just one more encouragement for me. The story moved me, and cemented my desire to make this pilgrimage. I highly recommend this touching story that deals with change, friendship, and grief in a beautiful way. ]]>Sun, Moon, Earthhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403048&blogid=1766
H ere’s a very timely book,
especially in view of the fact that there will be a total eclipse of the sun on
Monday, August 21. The subtitle: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of
Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets. To set the tone, author Tyler Nordgren quotes The
New York Times in reference to an eclipse that]]>David D.2017-06-02T16:05:02Zere’s a very timely book,
especially in view of the fact that there will be a total eclipse of the sun on
Monday, August 21. The subtitle: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of
Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets. To set the tone, author Tyler Nordgren quotes The
New York Times in reference to an eclipse that occurred in 1925, “It is a
spectacle pure and simple, the most magnificent free show that nature presents
to man. Not to view the coming one would be literally to lose the opportunity
of a lifetime.” The book is dedicated to the author’s father, who “still feels
terrible about me missing the 1979 eclipse. Don’t worry anymore; it set me on
the path to be the right person at the right place and time for 2017.” There
are nice illustrations as well as a map that shows the paths of total solar eclipses
that will take place all the way down to 2065. Anyone wanting to prepare for
August 21 or learn the science and history of eclipses would like this book. If going to St. Louis, which is directly in the path of totality, one should call ahead. My brother who lives there says the hotel reservations are filling up fast.]]>Science loves Ignorancehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403029&blogid=1766
This book is a nice, short, entertaining reflection on how science actually works in the real world. Part theoretical, where the author gives his thoughts, and part hands-on, where the author provides "case studies" of real scientists grappling with real questions, I recommend this book for all casual science lovers. ]]>MattS2017-06-01T12:51:38ZThis book is a nice, short, entertaining reflection on how science actually works in the real world. Part theoretical, where the author gives his thoughts, and part hands-on, where the author provides "case studies" of real scientists grappling with real questions, I recommend this book for all casual science lovers.

The idea is simple: what we don't know is what drives science. And we don't know a lot.

]]>At Home in the Worldhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403027&blogid=1766
I love reading travel memoirs like At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider. After saving for what seemed like forever (to me as blog reader), the Oxenreider family set out to travel the world together for 9 months. 2 adults and 3 kids under 10 with 5 backpacks for 9 months. I don't know if I'll ever make extended tr]]>AndreaV2017-05-31T14:40:43ZAt Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider. After saving for what seemed like forever (to me as blog reader), the Oxenreider family set out to travel the world together for 9 months. 2 adults and 3 kids under 10 with 5 backpacks for 9 months. I don't know if I'll ever make extended travel happen for my family but I sure loved reading about their adventure. Tsh's blog is already my go-to resource for simple travel tips for families, so I was excited to read her new book. I'm happy to say it's wonderful and I'm savoring it slowly, chapter by chapter. As always, I'm reminded that we need far, far less than we think we do. Time to do some more simplifying in my life and mind so that we can enjoy more of what really matters.]]>Flame in the Misthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403018&blogid=1766
Set in Feudal Japan, Flame in the Mist follows three main characters: Hattori Mariko, Okami, and Hattori Kenshin. Right from the start, this book yanks the reader in. A betrayal has taken place, and revenge is sworn. Ten years later, we see Mariko, less than thrilled to be married off as a tool for political leverage]]>KirstenJ2017-05-30T17:06:43ZFlame in the Mist follows three main characters: Hattori Mariko, Okami, and Hattori Kenshin. Right from the start, this book yanks the reader in. A betrayal has taken place, and revenge is sworn. Ten years later, we see Mariko, less than thrilled to be married off as a tool for political leverage, on her way to Inako. When her procession is attacked, and she manages to survive, she decides to disguise herself as a boy and find out the truth of who attacked her and why they want her dead. Through her search for the truth, she finds herself among the Black Clan and Okami. It is from them that Mariko learns she may be clever, but she certainly has more to learn. Her world is a lot smaller than she imagined it to be, and perhaps things are more complex than she thought as well. I devoured this book. As I neared the end, I became frustrated knowing there was no way this book could be a stand alone, and as I flipped the last page with a cliffhanger, I sighed. There is so much left to be explored in this enchanting world. I have so many questions, and I can’t wait for the next book to answer them. Fans of Samurai Champloo, Robin Hood, and feminism will love this story as I did.]]>Bogo, the fox who wanted everything.http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403014&blogid=1766
As much as I try to not to, I cannot help but
fall in love with a story based on the illustrations. &#160;Sonja Wimmer's
artwork in this picture book is amazing; the beautiful colors and details on
each page really enhance the story. Bogo is a fox who wants to be special, like
all his friends in the forest. &#160;]]>KalaL2017-05-30T11:25:26ZAs much as I try to not to, I cannot help but
fall in love with a story based on the illustrations. Sonja Wimmer's
artwork in this picture book is amazing; the beautiful colors and details on
each page really enhance the story. Bogo is a fox who wants to be special, like
all his friends in the forest. He tries to re-invent himself so he can
fly like a bird, see like an owl, jump like a frog, and swim like a fish. After
several failed attempts, he eventually realizes that he is not only special but unique in his own way.This is a wonderful picture
book that sends an important message about being who you are and looking for
that something special within.]]>Celinehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403010&blogid=1766
If you have enjoyed Peter Heller ’s previous two novels The Dog Stars and The Painter , you will certainly enjoy his latest effort Celine . Celine is very different from either of those first two novels, and requires a bit of a leap of faith to wrap your head around the storyline and the character of Celine ]]>mykyl2017-05-26T11:46:32ZPeter Heller’s previous two novels The Dog Stars and The Painter, you will certainly enjoy his latest effort Celine. Celine is very different from either of those first two novels, and requires a bit of a leap of faith to wrap your head around the storyline and the character of Celine herself, but that leap is made oh so much easier by the skill of Heller’s writing. Celine is an older, aristocratic, and well-dressed private detective who also happens to be a firearms enthusiast, greasy spoon aficionado, fan of Soldier of Fortune magazine, and has a complex and secret back-story. The novel follows Celine and her partner/husband Pete as they investigate the disappearance of the father of a captivating woman named Gabriela, with a complex and tragic back-story of her own. The story is beautifully written, fun to read, and strikes just the right balance of romp and heartbreak to really sink in and keep the pages turning quickly.]]>I like a warm, rustic lookhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403009&blogid=1766
This book has a lot of
great ideas! A lot of them are simple, easy and inexpensive. I think I’ll try a
couple of them but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to pull it off. The most
striking thing about Liz Fourez’s home is how clean and fresh it looks. The
reused wood and re-purposed household utensils add pizzazz ]]>JudiR2017-05-26T11:44:35ZThis book has a lot of
great ideas! A lot of them are simple, easy and inexpensive. I think I’ll try a
couple of them but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to pull it off. The most
striking thing about Liz Fourez’s home is how clean and fresh it looks. The
reused wood and re-purposed household utensils add pizzazz and create a calming environment.
Very fengshui, at least what I know about fengshui. I like the clean look of
the overstuffed chairs at the dining room table but I’m afraid of the antique
grater dish towel holder. I’d probably scrape my knuckles every time I reach
for a towel, but it’s a clever, neat idea.

]]>I Am Yogahttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032403001&blogid=1766
I Am Yoga , written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds , is a children’s picture book presenting a journey through various yoga poses. The narrative is carried along with sweeping, imaginative watercolor illustrations, and book ends with a glossary of each yoga pose presented. This short and colorf]]>AlexM2017-05-25T12:41:35ZI Am Yoga, written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, is a children’s picture book presenting a journey through various yoga poses. The narrative is carried along with sweeping, imaginative watercolor illustrations, and book ends with a glossary of each yoga pose presented. This short and colorful book is a fantastic way to introduce children to both the idea and practice of calm, focused movement.]]>Are Hunters Environmentalistshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402992&blogid=1766
Recommended to me by a fellow staff member, I was a little reluctant to read this book. While I am a hunter myself - I hunt once a year for deer in the U.P. - I don't like to talk about it, as if hunting had any moral value. In my opinion, veganism and vegetarianism are the superior moral choices to killing and eating]]>MattS2017-05-25T09:17:43ZRecommended to me by a fellow staff member, I was a little reluctant to read this book. While I am a hunter myself - I hunt once a year for deer in the U.P. - I don't like to talk about it, as if hunting had any moral value. In my opinion, veganism and vegetarianism are the superior moral choices to killing and eating animals. Thus my hesitation to read a book about it.

The book is well written, researched, and has a touching personal narrative that is interwoven with the thoughts, data, and exposition about food, hunting, death, guns, and environmentalism. The entire purpose of the book is this: why can't hunters and environmentalist just get along? In theory they should. There is common ground. The book tries to expose the myth about hunters-as-NRA-gun-nuts, and tries to bridge the gap. Does it accomplish this? Not sure. See for yourself.

]]>UTR MI - the First 50http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402991&blogid=1766
We were researching where to vacation in Michigan and came upon this TV clip about Beaver Island. I was intrigued to learn more about lesser-known places in Michigan, so I sought out Under the Radar Michigan ’s website . The TV show takes viewers all around MI to places both quirky and not quirky, but just worthy ]]>Christine2017-05-24T16:40:39ZWe were researching where to vacation in Michigan and came upon this TV clip about Beaver Island. I was intrigued to learn more about lesser-known places in Michigan, so I sought out Under the Radar Michigan’s website. The TV show takes viewers all around MI to places both quirky and not quirky, but just worthy of getting to know. The series will be coming to KPL’s DVD collection this summer. In the meanwhile, check out the companion book to the show.

Each chapter corresponds to the episode of the same number. Sometimes they go to opposite sides of the state in one episode. Other times they zero in on a region-- as with chapter 45, the “West-Side Mitten Adventure”-- or a theme such as the “Michigan Festivals Special” (ch. 26.) The indexes enable you to find specific sites, cities, and regions covered in the book. Kalamazoo is featured more than once, and the Kalamazoo places listed in the book are brag-worthy. I learned about some businesses I had not known, as well as more about places already familiar to me in our community.

Check it out and start planning your next trip!

]]>This is What a Librarian Looks Likehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402983&blogid=1766
The first librarian in my life was my elementary school librarian. Everyone was so afraid of her. She would yell at us if we didn't put the books back to the correct places. Since then I have always thought that librarians were book police that all they did was keeping their books safe.
It was not until I was in a ]]>AliceL2017-05-23T14:00:33ZThe first librarian in my life was my elementary school librarian. Everyone was so afraid of her. She would yell at us if we didn't put the books back to the correct places. Since then I have always thought that librarians were book police that all they did was keeping their books safe.

It was not until I was in a college research writing class when I realized librarians can also help me come up with research topics, guide me through the research process, and even proofread my citations! And of course, working at the library now also helps me understand that librarians actually do all kinds of things.

This book includes more than 200 portraits of librarians. They share their passion towards what they do and why that is meaningful and important. This books helps the public to understand that there are so many different kinds of librarians out there, and they all share a common goal: to help people.

]]>Get to Know Your Muslim Neighborshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402963&blogid=1766
On May 15 the Oshtemo Branch Library hosted a Get to Know Your Muslim Neighbors event inviting folks to participate in one-on-one and small group conversations with members of our local Muslim communities. Station activities included henna and hijab tutorials and information stations about prayers and holidays. Shaw]]>AngelaF2017-05-18T14:29:44ZGet to Know Your Muslim Neighbors event inviting folks to participate in one-on-one and small group conversations with members of our local Muslim communities. Station activities included henna and hijab tutorials and information stations about prayers and holidays. Shawarma King on Drake Road provided snacks, local Kurdish and Iranian musicians performed, and the Kalamazoo Islamic Center's imam was available to answer questions about the Quran.

If you were not able to make it to the event, or you want to do some reading on your own, check out these books from the library:

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan]]>And Still We Risehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402961&blogid=1766
There’s still time to go see And Still We Rise: Race, Culture and Visual Conversations , the quilt show on display at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum (KVM.) But hurry, it ends June 4. Give yourself plenty of time both to appreciate the amazing artistry and also to take in the depth of the stories depicted. The quilts ha]]>Christine2017-05-18T14:00:55ZAnd Still We Rise: Race, Culture and Visual Conversations, the quilt show on display at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum (KVM.) But hurry, it ends June 4. Give yourself plenty of time both to appreciate the amazing artistry and also to take in the depth of the stories depicted.

The quilts have so much texture, vibrancy, passion woven into them. Many depict painful, brutal episodes of racist treatment of African-Americans in the United States’ story. The very first in the display is 3-dimensional. Instantly, you are face to face with the picture of many Africans stuffed into the hull of a slave ship headed to Virginia, while one man escapes to ‘freedom’ into the ocean. Many others offer deep celebration of the inventive, intellectual, creative, athletic, entrepreneurial, political and heroic triumphs of various African-American individuals and groups in the past 400 years.

Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, founder of the Women of Color Quilters Network, curator of this exhibit and author of the book by the same name, will be at KVM this Sunday, May 21. If you plan to go, tickets are free, but required.

Each quilt has an artist’s statement. These appear in the book, alongside photos of their quilts. Reading the book, you have a second chance to absorb what they had to say about their piece and remember.]]>Animal Cuteness Overloadhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402926&blogid=1766
Animal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World In Poetry and Pictures by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore , with captivating poetry by Newbery Award winning author Kwame Alexander, observes the natural beauty, diversity and fragility of the animal world.
This mesmerizing and amazing book features more than for]]>TeresaM-R2017-05-16T13:17:11ZAnimal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World In Poetry and Pictures by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore , with captivating poetry by Newbery Award winning author Kwame Alexander, observes the natural beauty, diversity and fragility of the animal world.

This mesmerizing and amazing book features more than forty unique full-color animal photographs accompanied by lively haikus, each set against a solid black or white page. The message here is simple: it's steadfast focus is on the conservation of the "natural" in the planet we all live on.

Although officially a children's book, this brilliant collaboration between photos and text will certainly please anyone interested in nature and the animals that inhabit it.

]]>Now For Something Completely Differenthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402913&blogid=1766
When I was a kid, Monty Python’s Flying Circus came on at 11:00 pm on Sunday nights on PBS, long past my bedtime, especially with school the next day. My older brother had discovered it and his room was in the basement where the tv was, unlike my younger brother and I who shared a room upstairs. So on Sunday nights,]]>Steve S2017-05-15T14:28:31ZWhen I was a kid, Monty Python’s Flying Circus came on at 11:00 pm on Sunday nights on PBS, long past my bedtime, especially with school the next day. My older brother had discovered it and his room was in the basement where the tv was, unlike my younger brother and I who shared a room upstairs. So on Sunday nights, my brother and I would sneak into the upstairs bathroom and lower ourselves down through the laundry chute that my dad had made by cutting a hole in the floor and a plastic garbage can and shoving that garbage can into the hole in the floor. It was pretty easy to get down, but it was a struggle as my older brother had to push us back up the chute when it was over.

So I was eager to read Monty Python alum, Terry Gilliam’s book Gilliamesque: a pre posthumous memoir. Gilliam rarely appeared on the Flying Circus, but he was responsible for all the crazy animation sequences. He was also the only non-British member of the troupe, having grown up in the United States.

What surprised me most was how normal his childhood was. Especially for someone who created such bizarre images and fantasy filled movies. It’s nice to know that is possible.

]]>The Circlehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402912&blogid=1766
So you might have noticed that new movie out in theatres right now. You know the one starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson called The Circle? You might have seen the trailer and thought, “Oh, that looks interesting, I will spend my money on this.” I am here to urge you to think again!
I want you all to read the book ]]>MilanH2017-05-15T14:26:42ZSo you might have noticed that new movie out in theatres right now. You know the one starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson called The Circle? You might have seen the trailer and thought, “Oh, that looks interesting, I will spend my money on this.” I am here to urge you to think again!

I want you all to read the book by Dave Eggers instead for two reasons: 1,
the movie is horrible. 2, The book is a thrilling masterpiece exploring the way
information is shared and stored in modern times that will have you examining
all of your life choices regarding social media.

Some of you are saying, “But I really like Tom Hanks,” and
to that I just want to point out that 1, you can always imagine Tom Hanks in
your mind’s eye as you read the much better book, and 2, there are so many
other great Tom Hanks movies. So many.

]]>I Want That Lovehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402883&blogid=1766
I Want That Love is a book about Tyrannosaurus who, after a lifetime of terrorizing smaller animals, is transformed when he is mistaken by some juvenile Triceratops for a less fearsome dinosaur. The Triceratopses offer the senior dinosaur something that challenges his perception of himself. He had spent his life th]]>BillC2017-05-09T15:03:29ZI Want That Love is a book about Tyrannosaurus who, after a lifetime of terrorizing smaller animals, is transformed when he is mistaken by some juvenile Triceratops for a less fearsome dinosaur. The Triceratopses offer the senior dinosaur something that challenges his perception of himself. He had spent his life thinking that "he could do anything he wanted because he was the strongest." After the elder Tyrannosaurus sustains a tail injury from a group of younger and faster Masiakasauruses, the Triceratopses offer Tyrannosaurus some berries. Then he protects the Triceratopses from a pair of violent Giganotosauruses and passes on his new-found world view which, a generation later, another young Triceratops gleans from his dad: Love is stronger than violence. That is a nice message in this picture book, one in a series from Tatsuya Miyanishi. Originally in Japanese, the art in these books is pretty great, I think. Younger children who like dinosaurs will appreciate the focus on real dinosaur names, if they aren't too put off by the anthropomorphized dinosaurs.]]>300 Argumentshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402880&blogid=1766
Slimmer than a bloated, philosophical treatise and far weightier than pap self-help drivel, Sarah Manguso’s formally clever&#160; 300 Arguments offers readers a powerful collection of epigram-sized nuggets bursting with personal wisdom, truth and naked self-analysis about what it means to desire, regret, love and in]]>RyanG2017-05-09T14:39:17Z300 Arguments offers readers a powerful collection of epigram-sized nuggets bursting with personal wisdom, truth and naked self-analysis about what it means to desire, regret, love and investigate one’s inner life. It is a magnificent little book that bobs and weaves with sly, aphoristic intelligence, periodically sneaking up on the reader with taut punches to the gut. Here's a review from NPR.]]>Celebrate Elderhoodhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402871&blogid=1766
Celebrate Elderhood is a Kalamazoo County initiative that brings attention to the issues of aging, challenging myths and misconceptions so elders can reach their full potential no matter what their circumstances are, benefiting themselves, their families and communities. In this article, we will explore the myths and]]>AngelaF2017-05-07T13:48:28ZCelebrate Elderhood is a Kalamazoo County initiative that brings attention to the issues of aging, challenging myths and misconceptions so elders can reach their full potential no matter what their circumstances are, benefiting themselves, their families and communities. In this article, we will explore the myths and realities of aging.

Myth #1 – Dementia is a normal part of aging. FALSEGetting a little forgetful is a normal part of aging. It is normal to forget milk at the store, or to forget someone’s name. It is not normal to become so forgetful that it is impossible to manage the tasks of everyday life.

Dementia is a severe form of memory loss and is not normal. There are a variety of causes of dementia and some can even be reversed. Malnutrition, depression, dehydration and drug interactions can all lead to dementia. Depression can be treated with talk therapy or medication and the dementia from depression may be reversed. Once the person receives proper nutrition and/or adequate liquids, the dementia may lift. Physicians should always be informed of all medications a person is taking to avoid the dementia that can result from bad combinations of drugs.

More severe and long-term forms of dementia are caused by diseases such as Parkinson’s, strokes or brain injuries. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common kind of dementia and causes severe memory loss and confusion. Alzheimer’s disease creates physical changes in the brain and people with it eventually fail to recognize their own family members and sometimes themselves. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and the cause is still unknown. According to the 2016 Alzheimer’s disease Facts and Figures Report published by the Alzheimer’s Association, one in nine people 65 and older (11%) have Alzheimer’s disease. About one-third of people age 85 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging.

Myth #2 – As people grow older, their intelligence declines significantly. FALSECurrent research evidence suggests that intellectual performance in healthy individuals holds up well into old age. The average magnitude of intellectual decline is typically small in the 60s and 70s. In the 80s there is more average decline observed, although even in this age range there are substantial individual differences. Little or no decline appears to be associated with being free of cardiovascular disease, little decline in perceptual speed, at least average socioeconomic status, a stimulating and engaged lifestyle and having flexible attitudes and behaviors at mid-life. TIP: Intellectual decline can be modified by life-style interventions, such as physical activity, healthy diet, mental stimulation and social interaction.

Myth #3 – Most older people are in poor health. FALSEThe myth of being old means being sick is simply not true for the majority of adults 65+ who rate their health positively. In fact, more than two-thirds of people over 65 told researchers that they are in good, very good or excellent health and more than half over 85 said that too. Older people make mental adjustments in their reference point of judging their own health and will typically see themselves as more healthy than they originally expected for their age, or compared to others their age.

However, older people are much more likely than younger people to suffer from chronic conditions (lasting 3 months or more), such as arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. Most of us will have some type of chronic condition as we age, and many of us will have at least two. The good news is that there are proven programs that can help us live better with these chronic conditions, such as the Stanford Personal Action Toward Health programs and Matter of Balance Falls Prevention Program offered through the Area Agency on Aging IIIA in coordination with community partners and Enhance Fitness and Arthritis Programs offered by the Portage Senior Center, Senior Services Southwest Michigan, and YMCA.

What’s important is how we as older adults cope with the aging process and how our community responds. Staying active and engaged in our communities, whether that is volunteering with non-profit and faith based organizations, schools, having a part-time job, helping out our relatives and neighbors will pay dividends as we age. For those elders who due to more debilitating conditions cannot get out much, as a community we need to make sure they can stay at home with the supportive services needed and also determine how to keep them engaged with purpose in their lives.

Myth #4 – Older adults are less anxious about death than are younger and middle-aged adults. TRUEAlthough death in industrialized society has come to be associated primarily with old age, studies generally indicate that death anxiety in adults decreases as age increases. Some of the factors that may contribute to lower anxiety are a sense that goals have been fulfilled, living longer than expected, coming to terms with the end of life, and dealing with the death of friends and relatives. However, this shouldn’t obscure the fact that some groups have great concern about death and dying, and that the process of dying might be feared more than death itself.

The topic of death and dying is not one that people want to discuss, but it is something that needs more understanding and discussion by everyone, including the medical community and long term care facilities that are often a part of the end of life journey.

*Contributors to this article are: Judy Sivak, Director, Region IIIA Area Agency on Aging, Vicki Martin, MA, LPC Administrator, Senior Services Southwest Michigan, and Breytspraak, L. & Badura, L. (2015) Facts on Aging Quiz (revised; based on Palmore (1977; 1981).]]>The Platinum Age of Televisionhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402846&blogid=1766
Although subtitled 'From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific,' this is not just another history of television presented in
a chronological manner, although such a presentation can be quite
wonderful. No, this one is organized by type of show, making it easy to
find the sections that will interes]]>David D.2017-05-03T20:09:33ZAlthough subtitled 'From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific,' this is not just another history of television presented in
a chronological manner, although such a presentation can be quite
wonderful. No, this one is organized by type of show, making it easy to
find the sections that will interest the reader. There are children’s programs,
animation, variety/sketch, soap operas, crime, legal, medical, family sitcoms,
workplace sitcoms, splitcoms (a word coined by the author), single working
women sitcoms, sci-fi/fantasy/horror, westerns, spies, general drama, war,
miniseries, and topical comedy. Five examples of each are detailed, dating from
the earliest days of television and coming all the way down to shows like
‘Downton Abbey,’ ‘The Office,’ and ‘Mad Men.’ Also included are
interviews with or profiles of individuals connected in some way to television,
such as Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Tom Smothers, Steven Bochco, Norman Lear,
and Bob Newhart. This is primarily a narrative study, although there are
some pictures as well. Anyone interested in the development of television
broadcasting would enjoy looking at this good effort on the part of author
David Bianculli.]]>The Worst Breakfasthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402845&blogid=1766
In The Worst Breakfast , written by China M i éville and illustrated by Zak Smith, a girl describes the most horrible breakfast ever endured to her younger sister. She can't believe her sister doesn't remember all the grotesque elements of the terrible meal they shared! She tries to jog her memory by rattling o]]>ElyseM2017-05-03T17:18:52ZIn The Worst Breakfast, written by China Miéville and illustrated by Zak Smith, a girl describes the most horrible breakfast ever endured to her younger sister. She can't believe her sister doesn't remember all the grotesque elements of the terrible meal they shared! She tries to jog her memory by rattling off each unpleasant food and its faults. Illustrator Zak Smith brings the rhyming story to life with his wonderfully strange and intricate art. The pictures in this book amazed me. I think that kids would like this book but adults especially will admire each image. My favorite illustration depicts a blue tea kettle overflowing with sugar cubes.

This book is worth borrowing for the illustrations alone. To put it simply, it's really cool and I think you'll like it.

]]>The Sun is Also a Starhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402824&blogid=1766
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably already super excited for the movie Everything, Everything based on the novel by Nicola Yoon coming out on May 19 th .
But hello , that’s two whole weeks away! If you need something to make that time go a little faster, do yourself a favor and check out Nicola Yoon’s o]]>MilanH2017-05-01T09:19:24ZIf you’re anything like me, you’re probably already super excited for the movie Everything, Everything based on the novel by Nicola Yoon coming out on May 19th.
But hello, that’s two whole weeks away! If you need something to make that time go a little faster, do yourself a favor and check out Nicola Yoon’s other fabulous book The Sun is Also a Star.

Natasha is a science nerd, and hard core grunge rock fan,
who will be deported back to Jamaica in 12 hours. All of the careful plans
she’s made for herself are about to be radically disrupted. Daniel on the other hand, has just been going through the motions. He walks the path his parents have mapped out for him and isn’t excited about any of it. The two
meet on a chance encounter, and spend the day talking about everything that
matters: life, love, and the universe on the Day that Changes Everything.

It’s ultra-romantic of course, but what I find most
impressive is the way Nicola Yoon thoughtfully explores racial and cultural
differences. She herself is a Jamaican American, married to a Korean American
man, both of whom are the children of immigrants. So when the characters in the
novel have conversations about race, food, and hair, those discussions are
nuanced, well informed and authentic.

I give it the Milan Seal of Approval, but more importantly,
it’s also a 2017 Coretta Scott King winner, #1 New York Times Bestseller, 2016 National Book Award Finalist, and those are just the honors I feel
like mentioning right now. I just finished it yesterday—it is the greatest. The
end.

]]>Horrorstörhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402818&blogid=1766
Everyone who's ever been to, or worse, worked at an Ikea store knows that they are their own special level of hell, reserved for those foolish enough to enter in search of cheap furniture and lukewarm meatballs. In&#160; Horrorstör , author Grady Hendrix asks the question: what if big-box retail shopping really IS a ]]>Stewart F.2017-04-28T11:00:06Zworked at an Ikea store knows that they are their own special level of hell, reserved for those foolish enough to enter in search of cheap furniture and lukewarm meatballs. In Horrorstör, author Grady Hendrix asks the question: what if big-box retail shopping really IS a literal gateway to hell? The Ikea knock-off store, Orsk, is by day an average retail shopping nightmare but after the lights go out the real horror begins. After the Cleveland Orsk store experiences several after-hours disturbances, several employees stay after closing to try and catch the perpetrators and, in typical horror-movie fashion, get far more than they bargained for. Designed and built as a modern-day panopticon on the ruins of an ancient asylum for the insane, this Orsk store houses more than just cheap flatpack dressers and tables. Designed like a fake Ikea catalog and full of increasingly creepy product descriptions (for bonus fun, be sure to look up the meanings of the product names!), this book will have you reading with your Reniflür table lamps switched on...]]>Very Good Liveshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402817&blogid=1766
Very Good Lives is the commencement address J.K. Rowling delivered to the Harvard University class of 2008, where she talked about the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination. Regarding her “epic failure” in life, Rowling said, “Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the de]]>AliceL2017-04-28T09:39:14ZVery Good Lives is the commencement address J.K. Rowling delivered to the Harvard University class of 2008, where she talked about the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination.

Regarding her “epic failure” in life, Rowling said, “Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena where I believed I truly belonged.”

How true is that! Life is made up of countless setbacks and disappointments. They all helped shape who we are. We learn from these experiences and become better friends, family, and citizens.

The second part of the address talks about the importance of having the ability to empathize. If we can imagine ourselves into other people's lives, we all can help create a better world.

This little book gave me comfort. It tells me that there’s beauty in failure. No matter how reality doesn’t align with expectations, I should still press on. Failure is essential to success.

]]>Becoming Bachhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402808&blogid=1766
In this wonderful picture book, Johann Sebastian Bach tells readers about his childhood filled with music. &#160;Everywhere he went, there was music. &#160;It was his destiny to grow up and become a "Bach." &#160;Tom Leonard's colorful illustrations will guide you through the pages of this delightful biography. And, p]]>KalaL2017-04-27T15:35:59ZIn this wonderful picture book, Johann Sebastian Bach tells readers about his childhood filled with music. Everywhere he went, there was music. It was his destiny to grow up and become a "Bach." Tom Leonard's colorful illustrations will guide you through the pages of this delightful biography. And, prepare you for KPL's upcoming Bach in Jammies programs at the Central Library and Oshtemo Branch in partnership with the Kalamazoo Bach Festival.]]>Novels in Versehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402796&blogid=1766
Before poetry month comes to a close, I want to highlight some novels written in verse. Through a series of short poems, an author can tell an amazingly rich story, despite the limited scope for details and dialog.&#160;
Most recently, I read A Girl Named Mister , by Nikki Grimes, who is coming to KPL on May 9 . ]]>KitA2017-04-27T13:14:36ZBefore poetry month comes to a close, I want to highlight some novels written in verse. Through a series of short poems, an author can tell an amazingly rich story, despite the limited scope for details and dialog.

Most recently, I read A Girl Named Mister, by Nikki Grimes, who is coming to KPL on May 9. The book combines sections in the voice of the title character with poems in the voice of the Virgin Mary, which are in a book Mister is reading during a challenging time.

One of my favorites is Sharon Creech's Love That Dog, which is written as the diary of a boy who is learning to love poetry. The title poem pays homage to a poem by Walter Dean Myers, and others throughout the book are modeled after other famous poems. Speaking of dogs, God Got a Dog by Cynthia Rylant and Marla Frazee imagines what it would be like if God had a life like an ordinary human.

All the novels in verse I've come across are written for children and young adults, but there is much in them to be appreciated for any reader. They seem particularly well suited to addressing difficult topics such as grief and the darker chapters of history, such as Jacqueline Woodson's memoir of growing up during the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 70s, Brown Girl Dreaming. Dana Walrath's Like Water on Stone takes place during the Armenian genocide.

Other authors who frequently write in verse include Kwame Alexander and Margarita Engle. Novels in verse are not a replacement for regular fiction, but like graphic novels, you can read through them quickly for the basic story, or better yet, you can linger to enjoy the nuances of language.

]]>The Phenomenonhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402786&blogid=1766
Last Sunday, I was in my car and I happened to turned on Fresh Air on NPR to the sound of Terry Gross introducing Rick Ankiel as this week’s guest . The name was vaguely familiar to me as a moderately enthusiastic baseball fan, and as the story unfolded on the radio, I recalled the events of game one of the 2000 Nat]]>PatrickJ2017-04-25T18:33:36ZRick Ankiel as this week’s guest. The name was vaguely familiar to me as a moderately enthusiastic baseball fan, and as the story unfolded on the radio, I recalled the events of game one of the 2000 National League Division Series played by the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves. A game where a guy they were calling “the next Sandy Koufax”, a 21 year old who had secured a slot in the St. Louis Cardinals system at the age of 18 with a signing bonus of $2.5M, managed five wild pitches in a single inning. He chalked it up to the yips.

To athletes and fans, that is likely a term with which they are at least passingly familiar. The yips refers to the acute psychological and physiological occurrence in which a motion or action, previously reproduced thousands of times, suddenly becomes impossible or unreliable at best. It’s a disconnect between the body and mind of the athlete that can strike suddenly and spiral completely out of control as anxiety from each successive mistake steadily mounts.

In The Phenomenon, Ankiel and co-author Tim Brown describe the events that day at Busch Stadium and its aftermath. The Cardinals would go on to win that game and the NLDS, but for Ankiel, the damage was done. He would spend the next several years playing minor league ball at lower and lower levels while he battled alcoholism, injury, and the yips in an effort to pitch his way back to the majors - which he did, only to reinvent himself as a power-hitting center fielder.

This is not just a book for baseball fans or sports enthusiasts in general. It’s an eerily relatable biography with a focus on family, mentorship, and personal struggle both superficial and unseen. More than a story of one of the most bizarre and unlikely baseball careers in recent memory, The Phenomenon is a case-study in the concept of mind over matter, both for better and worse. ]]>Call Me Tree - Llámame Árbolhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402782&blogid=1766
Written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez , Call Me Tree is a beautiful journey that imagines life as a tree, from a seed in the ground to an árbol standing tall. Written in both English and Spanish, the sparse, lyrical wordings perfectly complement the rich and expressive imagery exploring nature, conne]]>AlexM2017-04-25T12:20:32ZWritten and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez, Call Me Tree is a beautiful journey that imagines life as a tree, from a seed in the ground to an árbol standing tall. Written in both English and Spanish, the sparse, lyrical wordings perfectly complement the rich and expressive imagery exploring nature, connectedness, and individuality.

]]>Love and Gelatohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402772&blogid=1766
I read almost every book set in Italy I can find. So of course I would pick this one up.&#160; Love &amp; Gelato &#160;tells the story of Lina, who is moving to Italy to live with a father she's never met after her artist mother has died. When she arrives, Lina is given her mother's old journal, full of sketches and wr]]>AndreaV2017-04-24T14:37:05ZLove & Gelato tells the story of Lina, who is moving to Italy to live with a father she's never met after her artist mother has died. When she arrives, Lina is given her mother's old journal, full of sketches and writings, detailing her own college years in Florence. Though she grieves for her mother and her life in the States, Lina takes every opportunity to learn who her mother and father are this summer in Italy. In the process, she unearths a major secret, makes friends, and meets a love interest. I loved this YA novel. It's the perfect summer read for fans of realistic fiction, with light romance and travel.]]>A Really Good Dayhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402769&blogid=1766
Having been misdiagnosed with Bipolar II, and later with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), Waldman begins her book at a point where all her remedies for depression and mood swing have essentially failed her. She has stumbled across the book The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journ]]>TamaraS2017-04-24T13:44:56ZHaving been misdiagnosed with Bipolar II, and later with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), Waldman begins her book at a point where all her remedies for depression and mood swing have essentially failed her. She has stumbled across the book The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys by James Fadiman. Waldman, a previous federal public defender and law professor who taught “The Legal and Social Implications of the War on Drugs” at UC Berkeley, is also the mother of four. Disturbed by the impact of her emotional instability on her family, she begins taking microdoses of LSD following Fadiman’s protocol. Having no interest in an LSD prompted spiritual enlightenment or hallucinatory experience; she is motivated instead to join Fadiman’s experiment by the outcomes described by others who have participated: namely more positive mood and increased ability to focus.

A Really Good Day, is written as an amusing daily journal of her experience “microdosing” which she intersperses with the compelling story of LSD as a pharmaceutical and then social drug. She is forthright in her concerns regarding the use of LSD as an illegal substance and hiding this use from her children, and her internal conflict with taking what is perceived to be a “recreational” drug. Waldman explores the effects of microdosing on depression and anxiety through her witty and deeply personal disclosure, which she balances with a rich and informative history of LSD. Her skepticism, overcome by self-described “desperation” for “A Really Good Day” is met with outcomes that are surprising and provocative.

]]>Federal Budget Blueprinthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402768&blogid=1766
Each year the oval office releases a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The full budget will be released later this spring.
Meanwhile, America First: a Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again gives us a preview of President Trump’s budget. The book spells out his priorities right on the first p]]>Christine2017-04-21T14:27:38ZEach year the oval office releases a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The full budget will be released later this spring.

Meanwhile, America First: a Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again gives us a preview of President Trump’s budget. The book spells out his priorities right on the first page of the document. Page 5 lists the agencies for which he recommends eliminating funding. The next several pages give details about his approach to management and regulations. The rest of the book highlights the Executive office’s proposals for several major agencies.

If you want to know how the current administration proposes to spend your federal tax dollars, but you don’t have time or energy to sort through a whole lot of information, look at this book. You can read it online right now or stop by the Central branch to read our print copy.

]]>Big Cat, Little Cathttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402753&blogid=1766
&#160; Elisha Cooper’s books are always a joy. &#160; His use of line is simple and elegant; here,
a white cat welcomes a small black cat to the home and teaches it “when to eat,
when to drink, where to go, how to be.” &#160;
They live together, play together, and the black cat becomes older and
larger as th]]>Susan2017-04-19T13:20:01ZElisha Cooper’s books are always a joy.His use of line is simple and elegant; here,
a white cat welcomes a small black cat to the home and teaches it “when to eat,
when to drink, where to go, how to be.”They live together, play together, and the black cat becomes older and
larger as the white cat then begins to age.Then one day the white cat went away.“And that was hard.For everyone.”Big
Cat, Little Cat is a lovely book for young pet lovers.

]]>Racism in a Chicago Courthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402752&blogid=1766
This book is horrifying.
For anyone concerned about racism in the criminal justice system, this is a must read and a truly original contribution to the conversation. Drawing on thousands of hours of actual observations in the Cook County criminal court system (Chicago), Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve exposes the various]]>MattS2017-04-19T11:51:38ZThis book is horrifying.

For anyone concerned about racism in the criminal justice system, this is a must read and a truly original contribution to the conversation. Drawing on thousands of hours of actual observations in the Cook County criminal court system (Chicago), Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve exposes the various forms of racism that exist within the culture. The scene is set by a sad and shocking context: a huge courthouse, built next to a huge jail, built in a poor area where mostly people of color live. The people getting charged and the families of defendants are overwhelming people of color, mostly from that area. Next, you have an almost all white cast of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and defense attorneys—all commuting to work from a different area. Even the professionals find this very peculiar and odd, although they become desensitized to it eventually.

Cook County is a highly efficient cattle call of defendants taking a “plea” (pleading guilty for a reduced sentence) and going to jail. After finishing the book, the words “due process” and “justice” and “adequate representation” are non-existent. Most shocking is the more overt, “old school” racism. For example, a prosecutor will openly mock a defendant by talking in Ebonics. Or the term “mope” is the official term for most defendants in the system: lazy, criminal, undeserving defendants that suck up taxpayers money, a term which closely resembles another racially charged word that we don’t say anymore. Or the way people of color are segregated from the court proceedings, kept in a bullet proof room in the back of the court. These are defendants families, victims’ families, court watchers—again almost all Black or Brown. Frequently, they are dealt with in a rude, humiliating, or even aggressive way by judges or sheriffs.

Although the writing is a bit bad, repetitive, and academic (and I almost put the book down for that reason), I am enriched by the content and original research that went into it. The entire history of racism is brought to bare and applied in specific ways. The author has keen insight into the nuance of how racism becomes cultural and institutional—it’s not just a few “bad apples”. She goes out of her way to get the perspectives of prosecutors, judges, and defense attorneys—all who do not, by the way, end of looking very good at the end. In fact, the defense attorneys end of looking surprisingly bad. You feel the sheer exhaustion, outrage, and guilt the author feels as she finishes the book. After all, in order to get the “inside” scoop, she essentially goes undercover as a clerk and takes part in the culture that she is writing against. And for what end? To expose the reality of day to day life in a real court system, something that can only be gleaned by observing it.

]]>White Tearshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402746&blogid=1766
Hari Kunzru brings his unique literary voice to a novel that explores race, privilege, authenticity, and the power of blues music. Drifting in and out of different time periods and settings, White Tears continues in the vein of Kunzru's last novel, Gods without Men , which used a similar &#160;fluid timeline. Kunzru]]>mykyl2017-04-18T15:22:23ZWhite Tears continues in the vein of Kunzru's last novel, Gods without Men, which used a similar fluid timeline. Kunzru is a truly skilled writer and one of the rare popular novelists who gets favorable reviews from the literary intelligentsia, but remains very accessible and a fun storyteller at heart.]]>Ongoingness: the end of a diaryhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402743&blogid=1766
"She's a Proustian minimalist on the order of Lydia Davis, both in the way she distills complex thoughts on time and memory into pure essence and in how she examines writing as a means of control." –-Kirkus Review
So much more than a chronicling of her obsessive drive to record the totality of her life, Sarah M]]>RyanG2017-04-18T11:34:19Z"She's a Proustian minimalist on the order of Lydia Davis, both in the way she distills complex thoughts on time and memory into pure essence and in how she examines writing as a means of control." –-Kirkus Review

So much more than a chronicling of her obsessive drive to record the totality of her life, Sarah Manguso’s bold memoir meditates on her relationship to her voluminous diary (over 800,00 words and 25 years in the making), its purpose and her decision to reduce its impact after becoming pregnant. In her spare yet precise prose, we discover Manguso’s documentarian ethic is more than simply an act of recounting the mundane gist of everyday life. It is an attempt to negotiate with the transience of things and moments, their meanings and the indifference of time’s inexorable erasure of memory. Ongoingness: the end of a diary, a slight text, holds the weight of bold, philosophical ideas about the relationship between writing and living.

]]>Maxhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402738&blogid=1766
Incredibly researched and vividly written, Max by Sarah Cohen-Scali is not for the faint of heart. This historical fiction is based off of real events during WWII, beginning with our introduction to the titular character as he is preparing to be born, the first child of the Lebensborn Program. From his birth until th]]>KirstenJ2017-04-17T11:26:22ZMax by Sarah Cohen-Scali is not for the faint of heart. This historical fiction is based off of real events during WWII, beginning with our introduction to the titular character as he is preparing to be born, the first child of the Lebensborn Program. From his birth until the German surrender, we see the world through Max’s eyes and his heavily indoctrinated thoughts - sexist, anti-Semitic, and homophobic language included. Getting through the first quarter of this book was a challenge for how descriptive the writing was in those regards. The second half of the book certainly rewards the reader for sticking it out, as Max subtly comes to understand the world around him, and how he deals with it. Max is a brutal story with an important message, well worth picking up.

]]>You'll Have a Yabba Dabba Doo Timehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402737&blogid=1766
I just read a graphic novel from Hoopla that contained some of the best social commentary in the past few years. Surprisingly it was from the recent DC Comics re-imagination of the cartoon classic, The Flintstones .
Mark Russell has crafted an irreverent story that not only updates the Hanna-Barbera cartoon (how]]>Kevin King2017-04-17T11:12:50ZI just read a graphic novel from Hoopla that contained some of the best social commentary in the past few years. Surprisingly it was from the recent DC Comics re-imagination of the cartoon classic, The Flintstones.

Mark Russell has crafted an irreverent story that not only updates the Hanna-Barbera cartoon (how do you update a story set in the past?), but also tackles some pretty serious social issues like war, politics, consumerism, the institute of marriage, and religion. Fred is less Ralph Kramden and more sensitive, modern Stone Age father. Wilma is trying to find her place in this newly formed civilization by painting Modern art. Pebbles is a moody, yet wise teenager fighting against the system. Barney, Wilma and Bamm-Bamm are still around helping the Flintstones navigate civilization and provide the loving friendship we remember from the TV show.

Steve Pugh’s art is an excellent hybrid of the cartoon style we are used to seeing and the 21st Century stylings in current comic books. You can spend hours trying to find all the hidden jokes in each panel. I was never a huge fan of The Flintstones, but I still very much enjoyed Russell and Pugh’s witty and intelligent take on everyone’s favorite prehistoric family unit.

]]>Jake the Fake Keeps it Realhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402733&blogid=1766
When Jake starts sixth grade at the middle school where big sister Lisa has always been a super star, Jake’s not sure what to expect. He got into the selective Music and Art Academy with his performance of “Song for My Father” on the piano. Now he’s not sure he can do what it takes to be successful there since he’s not]]>BillC2017-04-14T16:42:00ZWriters Craig Robinson and Adam Mansbach are responsible for some terribly funny books and movies, mostly for adults. I have been a fan of illustrator Keith Knight’s comic strips for a while and was excited to see this new work in the children’s chapter book domain. Jake the Fake Keeps it Real was a really funny read. The way the cartoon illustrations expand on the narrative make this a real pleasure to read. If you like Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, or Dork Diaries, I think you will really enjoy Jake the Fake.]]>The Red Partshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402732&blogid=1766
On the eve of publishing a book of poems about a murdered aunt, whose 1969 death was thought to have been part of a killing spree of a serial killer who targeted college age women near the Eastern Michigan and University of Michigan campuses, author Maggie Nelson unexpectedly received a phone call from a police dete]]>RyanG2017-04-14T16:35:29ZOn the eve of publishing a book of poems about a murdered aunt, whose 1969 death was thought to have been part of a killing spree of a serial killer who targeted college age women near the Eastern Michigan and University of Michigan campuses, author Maggie Nelson unexpectedly received a phone call from a police detective in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who tells her that he believes he's cracked the case and is about to arrest a new suspect. This is where The Red Parts, Nelson's brilliant true crime memoir begins.

Local readers may recall the case given the suspect was employed at Borgess Hospital and lived in nearby Gobles. More than simply a straightforward account of the criminal trial, Nelson critically probes her own complicated family history in addition to trying to make sense of our culture of violence and sexism. Available to stream using your Hoopla account and in book form, The Red Parts is a fascinating page turner from a writer with a fresh, bold voice.

]]>All Grown Uphttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402729&blogid=1766
All Grown Up is a contemporary novel that follows the life of a frustrated artist who ends up in an unsatisfying career in the city, rebelling against the social conventions of marriage and raising children in favor of remaining alone. In the process, she battles her own demons and explores, through her past and pre]]>KarenT2017-04-13T18:55:56ZAll Grown Up is a contemporary novel that follows the life of a frustrated artist who ends up in an unsatisfying career in the city, rebelling against the social conventions of marriage and raising children in favor of remaining alone. In the process, she battles her own demons and explores, through her past and present relationships, how she came to be the person she is. It was a fast and satisfying read.

I was interested to hear the author talk about the book as part of this New York Times Book Review podcast on The Definition of Adulthood.

]]>Love at First Stitchhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402714&blogid=1766
With zero knowledge in dressmaking, I was able to make a dress and a skirt all by myself with Tilly Walnes ’s Love at First Stitch ! This book is the 2014 Best Sewing Book in the British Sewing Awards. It includes seven cute projects to teach you the necessary dressmaking skills with clear instructions and photogr]]>AliceL2017-04-09T21:58:38ZWith zero knowledge in dressmaking, I was able to make a dress and a skirt all by myself with Tilly Walnes’s Love at First Stitch!

This book is the 2014 Best Sewing Book in the British Sewing Awards. It includes seven cute projects to teach you the necessary dressmaking skills with clear instructions and photographs. You will learn a new skill in every project, including inserting invisible zippers, gathering, making waistbands, stitch in the ditch…

This is by far my favorite sewing book. It doesn't only teach you the skills, it also shows readers that sewing can be a form to express our feelings. Sewing is not an old fashion; sewing can be fun and modern! We all have the ability to create.

Also, patterns are included. One more reason why I love the library!

]]>The Unsinkable Lynne Coxhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402713&blogid=1766
Swimming in the Sink is the fascinating true story of the accomplishments and life challenges of author and open water swim athlete, Lynne Cox. Cox, has broken many records such as swimming across the English Channel at age fifteen, being the first woman to cross the eighteen mile Cook Strait, as well as swimming in v]]>TeresaM-R2017-04-09T14:26:06ZSwimming in the Sink is the fascinating true story of the accomplishments and life challenges of author and open water swim athlete, Lynne Cox. Cox, has broken many records such as swimming across the English Channel at age fifteen, being the first woman to cross the eighteen mile Cook Strait, as well as swimming in various frigid locales such as the thirty-two degree Antarctic Ocean. That last achievement she completed without the aid of a wetsuit and her swim lasted twenty-five minutes!

Her ability to withstand watery conditions that would cause most other humans to experience a life threatening hypothermic event, brought her to the attention of scientists at the University of London, with Cox sitting in a laboratory, her hand immersed in ice water and probes attached to various parts of her body.

This isn't only an account of the daredevil adventures of a cold water super swimmer, it is also the story of the very personal struggles she faces in the forms of a series of rapid losses, first of her parents and then of a much loved canine companion.It is also about illness, since Cox herself is diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, which threatens her passion for swimming, her self image, and indeed her very life.

This is a fine narrative of the human journey with all it's component elements of triumph, loss, redemption and love.

]]>The History and Uncertain Future of Handwritinghttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402710&blogid=1766
I clearly remember learning penmanship in the early grades
at my elementary school. We first were taught manuscript printing and then
graduated to writing in cursive. I tried so hard to make my letters look like
they did in our instruction books and on green placards the teacher had put up
over the blackboard, suc]]>David D.2017-04-06T18:47:08ZI clearly remember learning penmanship in the early grades
at my elementary school. We first were taught manuscript printing and then
graduated to writing in cursive. I tried so hard to make my letters look like
they did in our instruction books and on green placards the teacher had put up
over the blackboard, succeeding at least some of the time. Fast forward to
2017. I have reverted to using manuscript printing a lot of the time, or at
most, a hybrid of manuscript and cursive. The only time I use cursive
exclusively is to sign my name on my checks, and I don’t even write that many
of them anymore. What precipitated all this reflection is a 2016 book by Anne
Trubek which is about ‘the history and uncertain future of handwriting.’ She
says, ‘The future of handwriting is anything but certain. Its history, however,
shows how much it has affected culture and civilization for millennia.’ This
book is panoramic, tracing the story of handwriting from earliest times all the
way down to the digital age when keyboarding in the form of texting, e-mailing
and social media is so prevalent. Ms. Trubek maintains that there are artistic
aspects of handwriting that need to be preserved, such as in calligraphy, but
the loss of handwriting’s prominence will also ‘give rise to changes—in
accessibility, in democratization, in advantages unimaginable to us now—that
should be celebrated.’]]>Meatyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402690&blogid=1766
I’m late in discovering the hilarious and uncomfortably honest writer Samantha Irby . I happened to hear her speak with fellow funny feminist writer, Lindy West , at Bookbug recently, and immediately picked up her 2013 debut Meaty . I loved it and only regret that I hadn’t read it sooner. Meaty is a collect]]>CaitAmy2017-04-03T13:49:19ZSamantha Irby. I happened to hear her speak with fellow funny feminist writer, Lindy West, at Bookbug recently, and immediately picked up her 2013 debut Meaty. I loved it and only regret that I hadn’t read it sooner. Meaty is a collection of essays about Irby’s life, touching on topics such as sex, fatness, blackness, poverty, and of course, tacos. I devoured this funny and sometimes-crass book quickly and wanted more. Luckily, Irby has a new book, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, coming out at the end of May.]]>Trianglehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402688&blogid=1766
Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett's&#160; latest collaboration &#160;is, as you might imagine if you've read any of their other books , not exactly your typical children's book. Triangle and his friend Square are devious little shapes, playing pranks on each other and wandering through a landscape of shapes and things ]]>Stewart F.2017-04-03T10:46:58ZJon Klassen and Mac Barnett's latest collaboration is, as you might imagine if you've read any of theirotherbooks, not exactly your typical children's book. Triangle and his friend Square are devious little shapes, playing pranks on each other and wandering through a landscape of shapes and things without shapes. Is Triangle as smart as he seems? Is Square really as clever as he thinks he is? And more important- will Square get out of the spot he's in at the end?

]]>One Childhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402686&blogid=1766
There were moments when I had to put down the book to take a break.
One Child discusses about the controversial One-Child policy in China. The author Mei Fong, a Malaysian Chinese, interviewed women and men from all across China to try to get a full picture of the origin and the consequences of this policy.&#160;]]>AliceL2017-03-31T19:29:09ZThere were moments when I had to put down the book to take a break.

One Child discusses about the controversial One-Child policy in China. The author Mei Fong, a Malaysian Chinese, interviewed women and men from all across China to try to get a full picture of the origin and the consequences of this policy.

It all began in the 1980s, when the Chinese government believed there were too many people in China. They were afraid that their country could never grow strong with that many people. Therefore, families were to only have one child, with few exceptions. Most of the women who were caught with a second pregnancy were forced to abort their babies (including late-term abortion) or to pay a huge fine; or else their relatives would get locked up, properties would get destroyed, until they agreed to give up the baby.

And sometimes even when some of these babies were born, they got sold to orphanages by government officials for adoptions.

As a Chinese, I have a lot to say on this subject, but I don’t know how to accurately put it in words. My home back in Hong Kong was only a 15-minute drive to the mainland. I wouldn’t be here if my parents were living on the other side of the border, for I am the third daughter in the family.

]]>Tent Camping in Michiganhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402671&blogid=1766
It’s the time of year when our camping gear comes out of storage and we start to think about where we will explore Michigan this summer. For years, one of my favorite resources has been the Best Tent Camping Michigan guide.&#160;
I always research any travel destination online and in print books. KPL has so man]]>AndreaV2017-03-30T09:04:22ZIt’s the time of year when our camping gear comes out of storage and we start to think about where we will explore Michigan this summer. For years, one of my favorite resources has been the Best Tent Camping Michigan guide.

I always research any travel destination online and in print books. KPL has so many helpful resources for planning your next adventure in Michigan, or anywhere else.

]]>WASPs of WWIIhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402666&blogid=1766
During World War II, two disadvantaged groups got to serve their country as aviators. One group was the Tuskegee Airmen, composed of African American males. The other group was the WASPs: Women Airforce Service Pilots. Unfortunately, neither group welcomed black females. If you want to be inspired by black female avia]]>ElyseM2017-03-29T14:57:06ZDuring World War II, two disadvantaged groups got to serve their country as aviators. One group was the Tuskegee Airmen, composed of African American males. The other group was the WASPs: Women Airforce Service Pilots. Unfortunately, neither group welcomed black females. If you want to be inspired by black female aviators, read up on Bessie Coleman, Janet Harmon Bragg, and the contemporary superstar Vernice Armour.

In her nonfiction book WASPs: TheWomen Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, author Vera S. Williams outlines the origins of the program, detailing the roles of General "Hap" Arnold, Jackie Cochran, and Nancy Love. She also describes the lifestyle, duties, and accomplishments of the women and gives other relevant historical information. Some of the women's main jobs (all of them domestic) were towing targets in the air for target practice, testing new and repaired aircraft, ferrying planes from factories to bases, and simulating situations to help the male cadets prepare for combat. To my delight, the book draws on some great sources to tell the story of the WASPs. Passages from interviews that the author conducted, photographs, newspaper clippings, and transcripts of songs fill its pages. The variety of sources and the direct writing style make this book both fascinating and accessible to all kinds of readers.

I immensely enjoyed reading this text, and that is really saying something, because nonfiction can be difficult for me to get through. It was nice to delve deeper into this subject to get the full story. If you are curious about one of the ways that women served their country during World War II, check out WASPs: TheWomen Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Vera S. Williams.

]]>Steamboat school : inspired by a true story, St. Louis, Missouri 1847http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402663&blogid=1766
Steamboat School is wonderful
picture book that highlights yet another little known Black History fact.&#160; It tells the story of the courageous and
determined Reverend John Berry Meachum who ran a school on a steamboat that
sailed up and down the Mississippi River. The story begins with young James, a free
b]]>KalaL2017-03-29T09:59:42ZSteamboat School is wonderful
picture book that highlights yet another little known Black History fact. It tells the story of the courageous and
determined Reverend John Berry Meachum who ran a school on a steamboat that
sailed up and down the Mississippi River. The story begins with young James, a free
black growing up in Missouri during the 1840s.
While attending Reverend John’s school in the basement of a church, with
only candle lights to see, James comes face-to-face with the harsh reality of
the 1847 Missouri law which made it illegal to educate any Blacks (slave or
free) in the state. Author Deborah Hopkinson and illustrator Ron Husband have create an inspirational must-read
with Steamboat School.]]>Who Squeezed the Sasquatch?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402646&blogid=1766
Don't Squish the Sasquatch is my go to choice right now to read aloud with kids of all ages. &#160;While boarding an empty bus, Señor Sasquatch lets the driver know that he hopes it doesn't get too crowded because he does not like to get squished. &#160;But what else could happen when the bus goes on to pick up Mi]]>Steve S2017-03-24T13:47:00ZDon't Squish the Sasquatch is my go to choice right now to read aloud with kids of all ages. While boarding an empty bus, Señor Sasquatch lets the driver know that he hopes it doesn't get too crowded because he does not like to get squished. But what else could happen when the bus goes on to pick up Miss Elephant Shark, Mr. Octo-Rhino, Miss Goat-Whale, and Miss Loch Ness Monster Space Alien? The combination proves to be explosive.

How will they revive Señor Sasquatch?

Kent Redeker's silly story mixed with Bob Staake's goofy illustrations just beg for you to ham this one up. Check this one out and start practicing your Sasquatch voice.

I just found out that there is a sequel: Don't Splash the Sasquatch! Don't get in my way as I run to get it or you might get squished.

]]>Rad Womenhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402630&blogid=1766
Rad Women Worldwide and Rad American Women A-Z tell the stories of women who did amazing things, some well-known and, maybe more importantly, some not so well-known. From Angela Davis&#160;to Zora Neale Hurston, Rad American Women A-Z &#160;came first and focuses on American women. Rad Women Worldwide focus]]>BillC2017-03-20T16:01:43ZRad Women Worldwide and Rad American Women A-Z tell the stories of women who did amazing things, some well-known and, maybe more importantly, some not so well-known. From Angela Davis to Zora Neale Hurston, Rad American Women A-Z came first and focuses on American women. Rad Women Worldwide focuses on forty women from all around the world who moved beyond boundaries. From punk rockers to polar explorers to authors, organizers, athletes, artists, and more, both of these great collections of biographical profiles feature amazing cut-paper illustrations by Miriam Klein Stahl. Both are great for all ages but reside in the library's Children's and Teen materials collections. Check them out if you are interested in being inspired and learning some real-life amazing stories!

]]>Olivia's Birdshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402607&blogid=1766
Olivia's Birds: Saving the Gulf was published in 2011 when its author and illustrator, Olivia Bouler , was just 11 years old. When Olivia learned of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, she offered to donate her paintings of birds to anyone who donated money to the Audubon Society; she]]>AngelaF2017-03-17T15:14:35ZOlivia's Birds: Saving the Gulf was published in 2011 when its author and illustrator, Olivia Bouler, was just 11 years old. When Olivia learned of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, she offered to donate her paintings of birds to anyone who donated money to the Audubon Society; she helped to raise over $150,000 for recovery efforts. The book offers interesting facts about birds, but what really stands out are Olivia's beautiful illustrations. Her book also includes kid-friendly tips on how to preserve our planet.

]]>Fancy Party Gownshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402604&blogid=1766
This book is about Ann Cole Lowe, the fashion designer who designed and made Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress .&#160;
She was once the best-kept secret in the society because she was a black woman.&#160;
This book tells you about the inequality in the society back then, and more importantly, how Ann overcame ]]>AliceL2017-03-17T11:32:59ZThis book is about Ann Cole Lowe, the fashion designer who designed and made Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress.

She was once the best-kept secret in the society because she was a black woman.

This book tells you about the inequality in the society back then, and more importantly, how Ann overcame her obstacles.

She was commissioned to make Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding gown and all the dresses for the wedding party. She had been working hard for months, then just ten days before the wedding, a water pipe burst and flooded her store. Most of the dresses were destroyed. Yet, she did not give up and was able to recreate all the dresses in days.

This book inspired me. When the society treated black people very unfairly, Ann focused only on what she loved to do and what she could do. She did not give up because the society told her to. She showed the world her talents and that with determination and hard work, every one can accomplish great things, no matter your race or skin color.

]]>For the Love of Bunnies and Bookshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402603&blogid=1766
Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro is all about a Bunny's love of books! It all starts one day when he happens to hear a librarian reading outside to local kids. Bunny realizes right away that books could take him to faraway places where he can experience adventure and excitement!
When summer ends, story time mov]]>TeresaM-R2017-03-17T11:09:04ZBunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro is all about a Bunny's love of books! It all starts one day when he happens to hear a librarian reading outside to local kids. Bunny realizes right away that books could take him to faraway places where he can experience adventure and excitement!

When summer ends, story time moves inside the library, a place that Bunny didn't think he was allowed to enter. But one night his longing for books gets the better of him, and he decides to venture over to the library. But alas it is locked! What to do? Being an ingenious rabbit, he leaps at the bar of the book return, lands inside the slot and through it into the confines of the library itself. He gets very excited seeing all the books that are available. Bunny spends the night exploring the various sections of the building, picking up tomes of interest along the way. With a towering stack of books, he makes his way back to his burrow ready to read his newly found treasures. This behavior becomes a habit, and he returns night after night. Pretty soon he invites some of his animal buddies to join him in exploring the wonderful world of books. Somehow, all the animals are able to fit through the book return, even Bear but only after a good deal of squeezing and wriggling.

One particular evening, all the animals are so immersed in their book finds inside the library, that they don't notice or hear a librarian arriving to work early. Not knowing what to expect, Bunny and his friends are delighted that she points out that the library has strict rules and the first rule of business is that "every book lover must have one of these"- a library card. Each animal receives a shiny, new card allowing them to borrow books legitimately, as long as they are returned.

Back inside the confines of Bunny's home, they inaugurate Bunny's Book Club as proud founding members.

This is a truly whimsical story with lively and attractive illustrations by Tatjana Mai-Wyss, that is sure to please kids and even adults. It's very pro-library, pro-books, and pro-book club to boot. What's there not to like?

Although, I own a pet bunny named Patrick, adopted from the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary on St. Patrick's day six years ago, he is not much into books or reading. Being only four and one-half pounds, he makes up for his small stature with a very big assertive personality. He also happens to be very smart and as a result, he rules the roost in our house that he shares with three large male cats. Basically,whatever Patrick wants he eventually gets by manipulating both cats and humans who cohabit in our house. In the past five or six months, nine year old Patrick or Patricio, as we sometimes fondly call him, has become quite cat-like in his behavior and tastes. He started to use the cats' litter box, sleeps in their cat beds, likes to sneak in a few cat kibbles for a snack and actively seeks out the cats for play time. He hasn't eaten Timothy Hay for years now and instead has trained his humans to purchase fresh greens for him three times a week. His favorites are cilantro,parsley, mint, and the super food for both humans and apparently bunnies- kale!

As my husband is fond of saying in referring to him, "What a guy!"

]]>Piecing Me Togetherhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402597&blogid=1766
Jade’s mother tells her to take every opportunity that becomes available to her, but she also knows the word opportunity is laced with coded messages. When the opportunity to join Woman to Woman is put in front of her, Jade is not interested. Until she finds out that completing the program means getting a scholarship]]>KirstenJ2017-03-15T15:28:07Zopportunity is laced with coded messages. When the opportunity to join Woman to Woman is put in front of her, Jade is not interested. Until she finds out that completing the program means getting a scholarship to college. Paired up with a mentor that doesn’t seem to have her life together any better than Jade, wondering why her white friend can’t see that sometimes it IS about race, and wanting more out of this so-called opportunity, Jade begins to learn more about herself, her place in the world, and that if she wants to see change, she needs to speak up for herself and others.

This book was so amazing. From the very beginning I was hooked. Jade’s voice is clear and strong, and, as the story progresses, I love that her character development is subtle, yet major. Finishing it, I felt inspired. I have a feeling this book will be making its way into my personal collection very soon.]]>The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Readhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402593&blogid=1766
&#160; Nick and his cats, Verne and Stevenson, love to do things
together. &#160; Stevenson might be the tiniest
bit grumpy, but he still goes along with things. . . u ntil Nick decides to teach his cats to
read. &#160; Verne proves to be a quick
learner, especially with words like fish.&#160; But Steve]]>Susan2017-03-15T09:12:32ZNick and his cats, Verne and Stevenson, love to do things
together.Stevenson might be the tiniest
bit grumpy, but he still goes along with things. . . until Nick decides to teach his cats to
read.Verne proves to be a quick
learner, especially with words like fish. But Stevenson wants nothing to do with
books or flash cards.Nothing!But then Nick finds out that Stevenson likes
pirates; he even has a stash of pirate drawings under the bed.This changes things!Check out The
Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read to see what happens next.

]]>College in prisonhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402573&blogid=1766
College in prison by Daniel Karpowitz tells the story of the Bard Prison Initiative, which began as a pilot program to provide a high-quality liberal arts education to a small but demographically representative group of prisoners in New York State. The results showed that many prisoners thrived in the program and ]]>KristenL2017-03-13T10:18:52ZCollege in prison by Daniel Karpowitz tells the story of the Bard Prison Initiative, which began as a pilot program to provide a high-quality liberal arts education to a small but demographically representative group of prisoners in New York State. The results showed that many prisoners thrived in the program and post-incarceration secured rewarding careers or pursued graduate and professional programs. The success of the program, which is now a nationwide initiative benefitting thousands, demonstrates that education might have a more profound effect on the future success of prisoners than therapy.

]]>American Streethttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402571&blogid=1766
American Street follows the story of a Haitian teenage girl named Fabiola who planned on coming to stay with her aunt and cousins in Detroit, Michigan. Though Fabiola was born in the US, and is an American citizen, her mother is not, and she ends up getting detained at the JFK airport. As a result, Fabiola is force]]>MilanH2017-03-10T17:25:18ZAmerican Street follows the story of a Haitian teenage girl named Fabiola who planned on coming to stay with her aunt and cousins in Detroit, Michigan. Though Fabiola was born in the US, and is an American citizen, her mother is not, and she ends up getting detained at the JFK airport. As a result, Fabiola is forced to start a brand new life on her own-- creating a new identity in an unfamiliar country, with family she doesn't know, all the while trying to find a way to be reunited with her mother.

It's always interesting to see your home through someone else's eyes, and this debut novel by Ibi Zoboi, a Haitian immigrant herself, provides a fresh and unique perspective on the American Dream, and the compromises one has to make along the way.

]]>Spring is in the Airhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402570&blogid=1766
Although it’s still chilly out, I’m planning for spring. I’m expanding my garden this year and want to make sure that I select plants that are low maintenance and work in a partially shaded area. Perennials for Midwestern Gardens: Proven Plants for the Heartland by Anthony W. Kahtz has become my go-to book for le]]>CaitAmy2017-03-10T15:42:35ZPerennials for Midwestern Gardens: Proven Plants for the Heartland by Anthony W. Kahtz has become my go-to book for learning about perennial options for Southwest Michigan’s hardiness zone; it’s an comprehensive resource with information on planting and maintaining flowers and shrubs that work in well in our climate and in a variety of garden styles.]]>Because I Stubbed My Toehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402546&blogid=1766
Everyone knows that it is painful to stub your toe, however, Shawn Byous offers a comical viewpoint. &#160;This is a silly simple story about cause and effect. A boy stubs his toe and it leads to a series of very lively events that move from his house and into the street to a bicyclist who slides off the road and int]]>AmyChase2017-03-08T13:39:19ZEveryone knows that it is painful to stub your toe, however, Shawn Byous offers a comical viewpoint. This is a silly simple story about cause and effect. A boy stubs his toe and it leads to a series of very lively events that move from his house and into the street to a bicyclist who slides off the road and into a hive of bees that chase an old man who jumps into a pond and splashes a surprised woman who trips and falls onto a teeter totter and you’ll get to find out the end result when you read the book! The illustrations are humorous and energetic.]]>News of the Worldhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402533&blogid=1766
The Civil War is over. Army Captain Jefferson Kidd is traveling through Texas from one remote community to another reading the news to residents from newspapers around the country, telling them about distant countries, scientific experiments, an upcoming census, explorations. Along the way, he is asked to escort a 10]]>AnnR2017-03-07T10:17:09ZThe Civil War is over. Army Captain Jefferson Kidd is traveling through Texas from one remote community to another reading the news to residents from newspapers around the country, telling them about distant countries, scientific experiments, an upcoming census, explorations. Along the way, he is asked to escort a 10-year old girl, captive for four years among the Kiowa, back to her aunt and uncle in southern Texas. She is the sole survivor from an Indian raid and has few memories.

In one sense, this is a western – the wild west, Indians, good guys and bad guys – but in the boarder sense it is a snapshot of a time and place, a sense of duty, and ultimately of love.

This slim volume was a National Book Award Finalist and on many “best of” lists for 2016. Reviewers have described is a “jewel”, “not to be missed”, “excellent in every respect”, “beautifully written”. I agree.

]]>Lincoln in the Bardohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402511&blogid=1766
The outstanding short-story writer George Saunders seems to have expanded the boundaries of fiction and kinda the whole concept of a “ghost story” with his first novel Lincoln in the Bardo . Using the death of President Lincoln’s eleven-year-old son Willie and the story of Lincoln, in a state of deep mourning, visit]]>mykyl2017-03-03T15:56:00ZGeorge Saunders seems to have expanded the boundaries of fiction and kinda the whole concept of a “ghost story” with his first novel Lincoln in the Bardo. Using the death of President Lincoln’s eleven-year-old son Willie and the story of Lincoln, in a state of deep mourning, visiting the boys tomb and physically holding the body as a jumping off point, the novel unfurls through a whole chorus of character’s each with a unique voice and each being….well…ghosts. The novel takes place in the bardo - a Tibetan word that refers to an intermediate space between life and death - and reads much like a play with characters coming and going at a dizzying pace, yet Saunders holds it all together with his considerable skill. Lincoln in the Bardo is heartbreaking, but unlike anything you are likely to read for some time. Check it out and read it now or wait for what sounds like a truly incredible audio version coming to the KPL collection soon.]]>An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wondershttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402501&blogid=1766
Some time ago I wrote in this space about the Atlas of Cursed Places : A Travel Guide to Dangerous and Frightful Destinations. One of my colleagues remembered that when she saw the book Atlas Obscura and mentioned to me that I might like it as well. She was right. I did. This book is wide-ranging in that it covers ]]>David D.2017-03-02T20:02:04ZAtlas of Cursed Places : A Travel Guide to Dangerous and Frightful Destinations. One of my colleagues remembered that when she saw the book Atlas Obscura and mentioned to me that I might like it as well. She was right. I did. This book is wide-ranging in that it covers both natural and human-made attractions throughout the world, even in remote locations of Oceania and Antarctica. I checked to see what there was in Michigan and found three entries: 1) Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills, 2) Hoegh Pet Caskets in Gladstone, and 3) a test tube called Edison's Last Breath in Dearborn. I might add that this book is not for the faint of heart (or stomach), since some of the material is rather macabre, such as the photo of bodies in the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo on the island of Sicily. Shall I go on? Listings for The Netherlands include the Teylers Museum which has been lit only by sunlight since it opened in 1784, and Micropia, which is a zoo that includes only organisms that are invisible to the naked eye, such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds. And there are more by the Dutch: The Hash, Marihuana, Hemp Museum; The Torture Museum; and the Cigar Band House. Or, one could go to Minneapolis and visit Orfield Laboratories, which has an anechoic chamber that's called the 'World's Quietest Room.' What a world we live in. What a book!]]>The Golden Girls of Riohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402488&blogid=1766
Last summer American women ruled the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and now several of those golden achievers have been beautifully illustrated in this picture book by Nikkolas Smith . Without really narrating a story, Smith still manages to encourage readers with his incredible artwork. The golden girls of gymnastics, swimmi]]>KalaL2017-03-01T14:52:26ZLast summer American women ruled the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and now several of those golden achievers have been beautifully illustrated in this picture book by Nikkolas Smith. Without really narrating a story, Smith still manages to encourage readers with his incredible artwork. The golden girls of gymnastics, swimming, and track & field are highlighted here, including my favorite athlete Gabby Douglas.Young readers will enjoy browsing through this book and learning more about these Golden Girls.]]>Rivers of Sunlighthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402487&blogid=1766
With beautiful paintings and understandable language, Molly
Bang and Penny Chisholm demonstrate how the sun’s energy moves water through
and around the earth. &#160;&#160; In Rivers of Sunlight , scientific
principles are explained in age-appropriate ways, making this a great choice
for young scientists. &]]>Susan2017-03-01T09:25:10ZWith beautiful paintings and understandable language, Molly
Bang and Penny Chisholm demonstrate how the sun’s energy moves water through
and around the earth.In Rivers of Sunlight, scientific
principles are explained in age-appropriate ways, making this a great choice
for young scientists.

]]>A Perfect Dayhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402485&blogid=1766
Today is a perfect day for Cat, Dog, Chickadee, and Squirrel. Each of them have exactly what they want for a perfect day: daffodils for Cat, fresh birdseed in the bird feeder for Chickadee, Dog has his wading pool, and Squirrel is enjoying a corncob. Yes, life is perfect and it is, in fact, A PERFECT DAY.
Until, of]]>Stewart F.2017-02-28T22:30:31ZToday is a perfect day for Cat, Dog, Chickadee, and Squirrel. Each of them have exactly what they want for a perfect day: daffodils for Cat, fresh birdseed in the bird feeder for Chickadee, Dog has his wading pool, and Squirrel is enjoying a corncob. Yes, life is perfect and it is, in fact, A PERFECT DAY.

Until, of course, Bear shows up.

After that, well... it's a Perfect Day for BEAR.

]]>The Youngest Marcherhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402484&blogid=1766
After last month's historic marches, I smiled when I happened upon the book The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist . This picture book tells the story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, the youngest participant in the Birmingham Children's March in 1963. She was nine years old]]>AngelaF2017-02-28T17:24:53ZThe Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist. This picture book tells the story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, the youngest participant in the Birmingham Children's March in 1963. She was nine years old when she volunteered to participate in coordinated action challenging racial segregation.

This book is most appropriate for readers in elementary school. Older readers should check out We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March for more in-depth information on Audrey Faye Hendricks, other young participants, and the history of the march.]]>Taking Candy From Baby Unicorns?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402483&blogid=1766
I really enjoyed reading Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly DiPucchio at the preschools that I visited this month. &#160;How terrible is the dragon? &#160;He stomps on flowers, pops birthday balloons, takes candy from baby unicorns, and spits on cupcakes. &#160;Then just when you think he cannot get any worse, he burps ]]>Steve S2017-02-28T16:49:02ZI really enjoyed reading Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly DiPucchio at the preschools that I visited this month. How terrible is the dragon? He stomps on flowers, pops birthday balloons, takes candy from baby unicorns, and spits on cupcakes. Then just when you think he cannot get any worse, he burps in church.

The King offers a reward to any knight that can tame the dragon. Neither the knights nor other townspeople have any luck. Who will tame the terrible dragon?

Do you want to hear the rest of the story? Check out this book. You will be rewarded.

]]>Sandra Brown is still cranking them out!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402470&blogid=1766
&#160; It has been many years since I have read any of Sandra
Brown’s books. I mean decades. However, because I’m boycotting TV I picked a
couple of her books up recently. Saying that I’m boycotting TV is really saying
a lot. Normally I watch a lot of movies and Netflix but since January, I have
been reading in my]]>JudiR2017-02-25T10:19:09ZIt has been many years since I have read any of Sandra
Brown’s books. I mean decades. However, because I’m boycotting TV I picked a
couple of her books up recently. Saying that I’m boycotting TV is really saying
a lot. Normally I watch a lot of movies and Netflix but since January, I have
been reading in my leisure time. The lighter the content the better. So, I’m
catching up on Sandra Brown.

I started with reading Friction.
It had a decent story line but more importantly I found it relaxing to read rather than watching the news. Right now, I’m
reading Sting. Sting caught my
attention because the book jacket said the main male character is a hitman.
He’s the hottie of the story, most of the time his character is the hero, but
in Sting, so far he is looking like a
criminal. I’m sure Sandra is going to throw a twist in there somewhere. If she
is going to surprise me I haven’t figured out how yet. If not, I don’t think I
can wrap my mind around rooting for a killer. I don’t care how much of a honey
he is, I don’t want to see him romance the savvy businesswoman.

Anyway, Sandra Brown is one of the better-known romance
writers and I’m sure she knows what she is doing. I hope so because I was
planning to read Mean Streak next or
maybe I’ll be ready for a good nonfiction.

Maybe the next 4 years won’t be so long after all! I just
finished Sting and there are a couple
of surprises. One I never expected but it was a zinger!

]]>Do Gooders: Saints or Syndrome?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402426&blogid=1766
What if every single time you bought a coffee from Starbucks, you felt an extreme amount of moral guilt? After all, 2 dollars donated to Oxfam can have a significant effect on real people that are really suffering in the world. This is a fascinating look at the personal stories and science behind and opinions about "d]]>MattS2017-02-20T09:52:25ZWhat if every single time you bought a coffee from Starbucks, you felt an extreme amount of moral guilt? After all, 2 dollars donated to Oxfam can have a significant effect on real people that are really suffering in the world. This is a fascinating look at the personal stories and science behind and opinions about "do gooders." And we are not talking about merely nice people (sometimes they're not pleasant). These are moral saints, people who take morality to the extreme, who get rid of all their stuff and travel to a foreign country to save lives.

The book has a nice structure. A chapter about a do-gooder is followed by the history of what culture has thought about do-gooders in general - whether that be philosophy, religion, psychology, literature, or common sense. Throughout history, do-gooders have made is uncomfortable, and therefore we have been skeptical about them.

I think do-gooders come in two different flavors. First, there are people who have intense empathy. When they think about a person drowning, the feel as though their own child is literally drowning. These people can easily become moral saints. Second, there are people who take moral principles seriously. Utilitarian morality, for example, says that we should relieve the greatest amount of suffering for the greatest amount of people. If we took that seriously (as the philosopher Peter Singer has argued), we would instantly donate most of our income to Oxfam, leaving just enough money for us to subsist. That's a haunting thought for some people.

Conclusion: the writing style of this book is very run-on. It took me a lot of patience, but was worth it.

]]>Chicagohttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402420&blogid=1766
Chicago &#160;is Brian Doyle’s most recent novel. It almost doesn't seem like a novel at all, but a series of poetic vignettes and character sketches. It very much reminds me of his essays, in which his joyful and generous spirit is clear through humorous, vivid, and sometimes fantastical observations about his famil]]>KitA2017-02-16T12:22:43ZChicago is Brian Doyle’s most recent novel. It almost doesn't seem like a novel at all, but a series of poetic vignettes and character sketches. It very much reminds me of his essays, in which his joyful and generous spirit is clear through humorous, vivid, and sometimes fantastical observations about his family, sports, nature, and life in general. The narrator of Chicago is a recent college graduate who has just moved to the city for work, and the book mostly describes his encounters with the people who live in his apartment building and his own explorations of the city. Knowing Doyle’s writing, it’s pretty clear the narrator is based on the author, and his love for the city is obvious and believable.

I may not be entirely impartial because I grew up outside Chicago during the time of the novel (it takes place over a little more than a year in the late 70’s), so it was a nostalgic read. However, you don’t need to know the place to be charmed by the many colorful characters, especially Edward the dog.

Sadly, Doyle was diagnosed with a brain tumor last fall, and I fear he might not be writing anything new, but I encourage you to look up his body of work, which includes several novels and many collections of stories, essays, and poetry.

]]>Leaves of Grasshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402415&blogid=1766
I suppose that one of the primary elements of a “classic” work is that it feels unsullied by the bearing of time, that it defies the swings of fashion, that it transcends the circumstances of its historical origin, and resists and survives the ideological checks often imposed upon its vision by contemporary optics. The]]>RyanG2017-02-15T19:41:03ZLeaves of Grass.

Years after I first wandered through its sprawling breadth, I can still pick it up today and it will have something profound to say about me and about us. Whitman’s scope was both grand and granular, personal and universal, going where no American writer had previously gone and where few have tread since. His project was to mine the American project with both questions and answers, to boast of its unique exceptionalism and to expose its deeply woven flaws with beauty, intelligence and reverence. As a modern work, birthed over a half of the 19th century, it still holds up as a broad, crowded work of lyric genius that you can pick your way through, hopping around to ignore certain sections while zeroing in on others.]]>Harry Miller's Runhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402406&blogid=1766
&#160; Liam and his pal Jacksie are planning to run in the Junior
Great North Run and they need to get their training in, but Liam’s elderly
neighbor Harry needs some help this afternoon so he and his Mam stop by. &#160; When Harry hears about Liam’s plan, does he
have a story to tell! &#160; This short, quir]]>Susan2017-02-14T14:57:40ZLiam and his pal Jacksie are planning to run in the Junior
Great North Run and they need to get their training in, but Liam’s elderly
neighbor Harry needs some help this afternoon so he and his Mam stop by.When Harry hears about Liam’s plan, does he
have a story to tell!This short, quirky
illustrated novel doesn’t easily fit in a category, but it is caught in my
mind.The evocative language in Harry Miller’s Run is as compelling as
the tale told.

]]>Let's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402384&blogid=1766
Available as an eBook and a print format book, Let's Clap, Jump, Sing &amp; Shout; Dance, Spin &amp; Turn it Out!: Games, Songs &amp; Stories from an African American Childhood , is a beautifully illustrated new collection that is chock full of great songs, proverbs, rhymes, and stories. I’m excited about this new t]]>BillC2017-02-10T11:51:55ZLet's Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn it Out!: Games, Songs & Stories from an African American Childhood, is a beautifully illustrated new collection that is chock full of great songs, proverbs, rhymes, and stories. I’m excited about this new title because it provides lots of great activities for caregivers to talk, read, sing, write, and play with their young children while providing a personalized historical perspective. Brian Pinkney’s swirling illustrations represent the constant movement that makes up the lives of children. Patricia McKissack, often with her husband Frederick L. McKissack, has authored many books including biographies, picture books, novels for older readers, and fascinating history. This wonderful new collection, with something for readers or read-tos of all ages, is a very welcome addition!]]>Passinghttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402367&blogid=1766
It’s Black History Month! A time to celebrate the
accomplishments of African Americans, but also a great time to examine some of
the social issues and complexities of race in America. For all of the insistence upon inherent difference between races, it is actually just a social construct based on
appearance with a ]]>MilanH2017-02-08T16:22:06ZIt’s Black History Month! A time to celebrate the
accomplishments of African Americans, but also a great time to examine some of
the social issues and complexities of race in America. For all of the insistence upon inherent difference between races, it is actually just a social construct based on
appearance with a few cultural differences thrown in for good measure. Or as
Maya Angelou put it in her poem Human Family, “we are more alike, my friends/ than we are unalike.”

In the 1920’s when Black Americans were treated poorly and
granted way less opportunities for success, many fair-skinned Black Americans
decided to cut ties with their family and friends to try and live out the American Dream the best
way they knew how—by pretending to be White. Americans were all too aware of
this, and as a result, there were many films and novels focused on the subject
of passing.

My absolute favorite novel from this time period is Passingby Nella Larsen. Published in
1929, during the Harlem Renaissance, the story follows two
women, Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry, childhood friends who meet later as
adults. Irene is married, and living in Harlem right in the hub of the Black
social circle, while Clare, a wealthy socialite who married a racist White man,
is passing for White.

Passing explores themes of deception, jealousy, loyalty and
betrayal. It’s a tale of fashionable frenemies, scandalous parties, and a crazy
twist ending I’d love to talk to you about if you get a chance to read it. I
love it to pieces and hope you will too.

]]>Feline Piano Composer and Playerhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402358&blogid=1766
Based on a true story, Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Leslea Newman with illustrations by Amy June Bates is a real winner for both music lovers and cat enthusiasts.
The book introduces us to Moshe Cotel, a composer for the piano who lives in a very busy and loud city. But far from it being a distraction, Moshe use]]>TeresaM-R2017-02-07T10:48:46ZBased on a true story, Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Leslea Newman with illustrations by Amy June Bates is a real winner for both music lovers and cat enthusiasts.

The book introduces us to Moshe Cotel, a composer for the piano who lives in a very busy and loud city. But far from it being a distraction, Moshe uses the urban noise as the starting off point for his numerous compositions.

One day, while on his usual afternoon walk around the neighborhood, he hears the forlorn "mew" of a tiny, lost kitten. He picks up the black and white tyke, names her Ketzel, and brings her back to his apartment.

Shortly thereafter, a letter arrives in the mailbox from the Paris New Music Review announcing a piano competition contest with one stipulation: No piece may be longer than sixty seconds!

Moshe exclaims that creating a musical work of such brevity is impossible, so he places the letter aside, not giving it another thought. On the other hand, the next day he decides to give it a try. From the outset, he is completely stymied by the task. Whatever he starts, he cannot finish. He takes his failures so hard that he temporarily stops playing the piano.

One day Ketzel creeps across the piano keys with all four paws much to Moshe's auditory delight. He proclaims Ketzel to be a musical genius who has composed the unbelievable: A piece for piano with a distinct beginning, middle and end that lasts only twenty-one seconds! So he names the solo composition "Piece for Piano: Four Paws", and sends it off to the contest judges.

A few weeks later, he receives a letter saying that although he didn't win a prize, the submitted work does merit a certificate of special mention, which comes with an invitation to attend a concert where the piece will be played.

Moshe sneaks Ketzel into the concert hall in his vest pocket and every time the young pianist chosen to perform the work mentions Ketzel by name, the kitten responds with a loud, emphatic MEOW!

Animals are forbidden from entering the concert hall but after Moshe reveals that Ketzel is the actual composer of the piece, both are allowed to remain. Several encores later, "Piece for Piano:Four Paws" turns into musical history.

Ketzel becomes quite famous and receives a royalty check in the amount of nineteen dollars and seventy-two cents which purchases many cans of yummy cat food.

An engaging tale, wonderfully reminiscent of Nora, the piano playing cat of YouTube fame!

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Rocky, a wonderful cat companion of one of my colleagues, Keith.

]]>If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402337&blogid=1766
Occasionally while reading in the various book review publications I will stop at the children's section just to see what's new. An ad for this one caught my attention so I thought I would check to see if KPL owned it, and, sure enough, we did. As one of three books we have by Elise Parsley, a children's author who liv]]>David D.2017-02-02T20:40:13ZIf You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, DON'T!]]>The life of a Pullman Porterhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402318&blogid=1766
The Pullman Porter: AnAmerican Journey touched my heart. Not just because there is a lot
information that is not generally known but also because my father had been a
porter many, many years ago. My brothers, sisters and I romanticized his
journeys and thought my dad looked handsome in his uniform. We were not]]>JudiR2017-01-31T19:09:33ZThe Pullman Porter: AnAmerican Journey touched my heart. Not just because there is a lot
information that is not generally known but also because my father had been a
porter many, many years ago. My brothers, sisters and I romanticized his
journeys and thought my dad looked handsome in his uniform. We were not aware
of how demanding, degrading and difficult the job was. After all, what did being
a Pullman Porter have to do with shining shoes, babysitting, making beds and
other forms of servitude?

After reading this
book, I realized also that my dad was traveling and learning things about this
country. He was able to learn what was important to share with his children and
to teach us what we needed to know in order to survive in America.The Pullman Porter: An American Journey was
written by Vanita Oelschlager. Vanita Oelschlager publishes books for children that
teaches morals and values I personally appreciate her acknowledgement of the
Pullman Porters.

]]>Marchhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402307&blogid=1766
March: Book 3 , the final installment of the graphic novel trilogy authored by Rep. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell,&#160;was chosen as the Michael L. Printz award winner for excellence in Young Adult Literature on January 23 at ALA&#160; Youth Media Awards . This graphic novel chronicles ]]>AndreaV2017-01-30T17:19:35ZMarch: Book 3, the final installment of the graphic novel trilogy authored by Rep. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell, was chosen as the Michael L. Printz award winner for excellence in Young Adult Literature on January 23 at ALA Youth Media Awards. This graphic novel chronicles the coming of age of Freedom Rider and Civil Rights activist, John Lewis. This incredible graphic novel, also the first GN to win the National Book Award, will inspire and encourage young people and adults to live a life of service. We can all be encouraged by John Lewis' example.]]>Tomboy Vol. 1 by M. Goodwinhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402304&blogid=1766
Tomboy Vol. 1: Divine Intervention is a graphic novel written and illustrated by M. Goodwin. If her name sounds familiar to you, it's because she has also contributed to the graphic novel Princeless , which I recommended via staff picks last year. Tomboy , however, while possessing a female protagonist as Princele]]>ElyseM2017-01-30T16:40:52ZTomboy Vol. 1: Divine Intervention is a graphic novel written and illustrated by M. Goodwin. If her name sounds familiar to you, it's because she has also contributed to the graphic novel Princeless, which I recommended via staff picks last year. Tomboy, however, while possessing a female protagonist as Princeless did, is decidedly not for kids. This fast-moving book combines corrupt cops, blood-soaked violence, personal tragedy, and a delightful dose of the supernatural with thoughtful art and expressive color work. The story begins on Addison's 16th birthday, which turns into a birthday unlike any other. This first volume collects issues 1-4 and is available through Hoopla. Volume 2 (Tomboy: Absence of Good) can also be found there, containing issues 5-8. The ninth issue came out in December 2016, which leads me to believe there is more to come. If you love graphic novels, then add Tomboy to your reading list.]]>A Room with a Viewhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402299&blogid=1766
The Bloomsbury Group was a group of friends—writers, artists, and intellectuals that included the likes of Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, John Maynard Keynes, and Art Bell—who gathered regularly in London’s Bloomsbury neighborhood during the first half of the 20th century. They were highly influential modern literati ]]>CaitAmy2017-01-30T16:00:58ZThe Bloomsbury Group was a group of friends—writers, artists, and intellectuals that included the likes of Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, John Maynard Keynes, and Art Bell—who gathered regularly in London’s Bloomsbury neighborhood during the first half of the 20th century. They were highly influential modern literati who rebelled against the conservative constraints of the earlier Victorian period, while simultaneously having the comforts and privileges of the upper class. Nowhere is the tension between modern, bohemian ideas and the constrictions of high society more evident than in E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View.

I read A Room with a View as part of my exploration of the works of Bloomsbury members and enjoyed it immensely. I see it as a coming of age novel, with the main character, Lucy Honeychurch, struggling to understand what she wants versus what society expects of her as she becomes an adult. Lucy’s trip to Italy and a chance meeting with a young socialist at her hotel set off a chain of events that alters the course of her life. It’s quick, uplifting read.

]]>1984 Is Back In Stylehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402298&blogid=1766
British writer George Orwell’s dystopian horror story&#160; 1984 (first published in 1949) has recently found its way back onto the best-seller lists again. Orwell’s signature novel remains a germane cautionary tale about authoritarian societies, organized around propaganda, fear, control, surveillance, and “group]]>RyanG2017-01-30T15:33:57Z1984 (first published in 1949) has recently found its way back onto the best-seller lists again. Orwell’s signature novel remains a germane cautionary tale about authoritarian societies, organized around propaganda, fear, control, surveillance, and “groupthink”. Orwell drew inspiration from both the pre-WW2 fascism of Germany and Italy and the widespread crackdown on dissent during Stalin’s reign as dictator of the Soviet Union. The British actor John Hurt, who played the main character Winston Smith in the movie adaptation passed away from cancer last week.]]>The Girl Who Drank the Moonhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402294&blogid=1766
The Girl Who Drank the Moon , by&#160; Kelly Barnhill , is the 2017 Newbery Medal winner! The Newbery Medal is awarded by the American Library Association to&#160; "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." &#160; The Girl Who Drank the Moon reminded me of an older book,&#160; Mar]]>BillC2017-01-28T10:23:24ZThe Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, is the 2017 Newbery Medal winner! The Newbery Medal is awarded by the American Library Association to "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." The Girl Who Drank the Moon reminded me of an older book, Marge Piercy'sWoman on the Edge of Time. Both books take place in two worlds. In Piercy's book, the main character travels in time to bridge two worlds, one dystopian and one utopian. One really interesting thing about The Girl Who Drank the Moon is how its two worlds exist side-by-side but are kept separate by the mythology that the people have been taught. Barnhill gradually connects these worlds together.

Though the two worlds in The Girl Who Drank the Moon, one dystopian and the other human centered and nurturing, seem very different from this world, there are some parallels. Elements of both of these worlds exist in our own multi-faceted world. Is our own world made of multiple worlds kept separate by beliefs, mythologies, and traditions? I think we can safely say that it is.

There is quite a lot to think about in The Girl Who Drank the Moon. It's also a great story. The library has print copies of the book with more on the way, but everyone should know that the 2017 Newbery Medal winner is available in an ebook format via Hoopla. That means you can start reading with just a few clicks.

]]>Holocaust Remembrance Dayhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402285&blogid=1766
Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what happened in the years leading up to the atrocities. The question people always ask is "how could this happen?" The following books discuss, in great detail, the events that led to genocide in Europe. The Coming of the]]>AngelaF2017-01-27T14:23:11ZHolocaust Remembrance Day. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what happened in the years leading up to the atrocities. The question people always ask is "how could this happen?" The following books discuss, in great detail, the events that led to genocide in Europe.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has a great website examining the history of the Holocaust, and also features resources on preventing future genocides.]]>Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote Historyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402274&blogid=1766
Here’s the first book to be added to my “Best of 2017” list
. . . Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who
Wrote History . &#160; The late Walter Dean
Myers wrote this spare book about the life of Frederick Douglass and illustrator
Floyd Cooper has created magnificent paintings to accompany Myers’ words. &#160; ]]>Susan2017-01-25T14:40:18ZHere’s the first book to be added to my “Best of 2017” list
. . . Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who
Wrote History.The late Walter Dean
Myers wrote this spare book about the life of Frederick Douglass and illustrator
Floyd Cooper has created magnificent paintings to accompany Myers’ words.What a stunning collaboration!This biography is a worthy addition to our shelves.

]]>Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racerhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402266&blogid=1766
In all of its 103-year history, only one American has won The Tour De France, consistently regarded, as one of the most difficult sporting events in the world. Yet that person, Mr. Greg LeMond, is likely not the name that most, non-cycling, American’s first think of when asked to name America’s greatest cyclist. I stat]]>mykyl2017-01-24T10:38:10Zfamous, narcissistic bullies get their karmic comeuppance. For me, Greg LeMond was the reason I started cycling in the first place. His legend still burns bright in my eyes – he won the Tour De France 3 times, and 2 of those victories came after being shot full of lead in a horrible life-threatening hunting accident! So, to see his cycling career respected enough to produce the wonderful coffee-table sized Greg LeMond: Yellow Jersey Racer, with great stories from his fellow 80’s cycling personalities, wonderful photography from throughout his entire career, and not a single mention of a certain disgraced Texan, it feels like something has been put right with the world.]]>Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402262&blogid=1766
When Jacqueline Bouvier married John F. Kennedy, she wore
an exquisite silk dress made by Ann Cole Lowe.&#160;
I did not know that Ann Cole Lowe was African American until I discovered
this wonderful picture book written by Deborah Blumenthal and illustrated by Laura Freeman . Despite dealing with segregation an]]>KalaL2017-01-23T16:04:44ZWhen Jacqueline Bouvier married John F. Kennedy, she wore
an exquisite silk dress made by Ann Cole Lowe.
I did not know that Ann Cole Lowe was African American until I discovered
this wonderful picture book written by Deborah Blumenthal and illustrated by Laura Freeman. Despite dealing with segregation and prejudices, Cole’s designer
fashions were highly sought after by the Vanderbilts, the Rockerfellers, and
the Roosevelts. In addition, she established a prosperous design
studio on Madison Avenue in New York City. Included at the end of the
book are citations for further readings on Ann Cole Lowe and other historical African
American fashion designers. This book is a great read for young children and just in time for Black History Month.

]]>Beasthttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402251&blogid=1766
This take on Beauty and the Beast really is original. Dylan, an over-sized and hirsute 15 year old, is our unreliable narrator. Awash in a sea of self-pity and zero self-esteem Dylan spends most of the book thinking everyone sees him the way he sees himself (honestly, he spends so much time pitying himself it's exhau]]>KirstenJ2017-01-21T12:43:25ZBeauty and the Beast really is original. Dylan, an over-sized and hirsute 15 year old, is our unreliable narrator. Awash in a sea of self-pity and zero self-esteem Dylan spends most of the book thinking everyone sees him the way he sees himself (honestly, he spends so much time pitying himself it's exhausting) and waiting for a sign from his deceased father. Jamie, an amazing, funny, and creative girl challenges Dylan’s superficiality when he realizes that not only is he totally into her, but that she is transgender. So, confession: this book ticked me off a lot. I spent a lot of the day yelling at Dylan for being a jerk. Almost all the characters are crappy people and I felt incredibly cynical about them. BUT! I could not put it down. As frustrating as I found this book, the writing is compelling and the character growth is authentic. Also, unreliable narrators make for a fun read, even when they are super irritating.]]>Snowman Goes From Being Lonely to Being Perfect With a Little Love and New Friendshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402230&blogid=1766
The Most Perfect Snowman , written and delightfully illustrated by Chris Britt, is about a simple,lonely snowman named Drift, who has arms made out of sticks and a nose and mouth made of coal.
He dreams of wearing some splendid items of clothing like a hat, scarf, mittens and of possessing a pointed carrot nose.]]>TeresaM-R2017-01-18T16:28:38ZThe Most Perfect Snowman, written and delightfully illustrated by Chris Britt, is about a simple,lonely snowman named Drift, who has arms made out of sticks and a nose and mouth made of coal.

He dreams of wearing some splendid items of clothing like a hat, scarf, mittens and of possessing a pointed carrot nose. like so many other more stylish snowmen, who would often ridicule his plain looks.

One day three children come upon Drift and much to his delight share with him a scarf, hat, mittens as well as a pointy carrot nose. Upon donning his new togs, the kids proclaim him to be a perfect snowman and all spend the rest of the afternoon in fun play.

Once darkness begins to set in, the kids say goodbye and head home.During the night ,a blustery blizzard blows most of Drift's clothes away. All is not lost because he befriends a scared, cold and hungry tiny bunny who asks for his help to survive. Sure enough, Drift gives the bunny his scarf for warmth and his carrot nose to relieve his hunger. With these acts of kindness and generosity, he proves that he truly is the most perfect snowman!

]]>Gotta Read 'em Allhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402223&blogid=1766
I’ve been a Pokéfan for almost 20 years now. &#160;It started in middle school with Pokémon Blue on and now I’m currently working my way through Moon and draining my phone battery with Pokémon Go (hey, don’t judge Go, it’s getting me outside for fresh air and exercise). &#160;It’s been years since I’ve watched the ]]>CatherineLewis2017-01-17T14:02:08ZI’ve been a Pokéfan for almost 20 years now. It started in middle school with Pokémon Blue on and now I’m currently working my way through Moon and draining my phone battery with Pokémon Go (hey, don’t judge Go, it’s getting me outside for fresh air and exercise). It’s been years since I’ve watched the anime and movies, but it’s probably time to check it them out again. Apparently, there’s some wisdom hidden between the battles and Poké-antics.I know how silly that sounds, but roll with me on this.

The Essential Pokémon Book of Joy is a cute, short book of quotes from your favorite characters that offer lessons in life, love, friendship and, of course, Pokémon battles. Ok, they may not all be profound, but some of them are surprisingly deep. Even the baddies from Team Rocket occasionally offers some good advice such as never abandon a teammate in trouble, and do not fear failure/never give up. Meowth is particularly clever and has my favorite quote from the entire series: “We do have a lot in common. The same air, the same earth, the same sky. Maybe if we started looking at what’s the same instead of always looking at what’s different...well, who knows?” Pokéfan or not, that’s something we should all keep in mind.

If you’re feeling a little low and need a little pick-me-up, there is plenty of joy to be found in this book (including Nurse Joy)! Even if the quotes don’t make you think, they’ll at least make you smile. Whether you’re a Rising Star, Ace Trainer, or Veteran, be sure to flip through this book and, as Meowth says, remember to “..mind your P's and Q's and Pikachus.”]]>Faithfulhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402202&blogid=1766
I’m an Alice Hoffman fan. I’ve read just about everything she has written, some I like more than others. Faithful is one of my favorites of hers.
This is a story of tragedy and sorrow. Shelby and Helene are best friends in high school until an accident changes both of their lives.
Grief, guilt, recovery, ]]>AnnR2017-01-13T16:33:04ZI’m an Alice Hoffman fan. I’ve read just about everything she has written, some I like more than others. Faithful is one of my favorites of hers.

This is a story of tragedy and sorrow. Shelby and Helene are best friends in high school until an accident changes both of their lives.

Grief, guilt, recovery, friendship – it is all here but I didn’t find it as depressing as it sounds from this description. I agree with the reviewer who wrote…. “there is unique magic that Hoffman casts in all of her novels; seriously, this is a novel for anyone who has faith.”

This is a beautiful novel about surviving, forgiving ourselves, and connecting with others.

]]>Paper Girls 2 For Me and You!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402193&blogid=1766
Paper Girls 2 is here!&#160;If you're new to the series, just know that it is the perfect comic to read while waiting for season 2 of Stranger Things . Complete with a great group of kids, crazy
monsters, and 1980s hairstyles in all their feather-fringed glory. If you
are already a fan, you’ll remember, at the ]]>MilanH2017-01-12T13:58:29ZPaper Girls 2 is here! If you're new to the series, just know that it is the perfect comic to read while waiting for season 2 of Stranger Things. Complete with a great group of kids, crazy
monsters, and 1980s hairstyles in all their feather-fringed glory. If you
are already a fan, you’ll remember, at the end of Paper Girls Volume 1, KJ was still missing, and the gang was mysteriously transported out of the 80s. If you’ve somehow been patient enough to wait for the next volume instead of going out to buy the single comics, you’ll be excited to know this one starts right where the last one left off—with the
girls being dropped right in the middle of 2016, and Erin coming face to face with her adult self!

Will Erin be disappointed in her future self? Will they ever find KJ? Will the paper girls be able to survive the horrors of 2016???

There's only one way to find out-- check it out right now!

]]>Do you say soda or pop?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402157&blogid=1766
Speaking American got us all talking at Washington Square. How do you say “crayon” or “coupon” or “grocery store”? Do you say pop or soda, scratch paper or scrap paper, takeout or carry-out, drinking fountain or water fountain or bubbler? It probably depends on where you are from in the U.S.
We have had so ]]>Steve S2017-01-06T16:22:51ZSpeaking American got us all talking at Washington Square. How do you say “crayon” or “coupon” or “grocery store”? Do you say pop or soda, scratch paper or scrap paper, takeout or carry-out, drinking fountain or water fountain or bubbler? It probably depends on where you are from in the U.S.

We have had so much fun looking at the maps of where words are used and reading the short entries on the idiosyncracies of certain states or even cities. My wife, from Kansas, hates that I say, “You want to come with?” You can’t end a sentence with a preposition, right? Well, the majority of people in Minnesota and Chicago do. Bingo, I’m from Chicago. My colleagues tested me by asking what I called shoes that you wear for sports. Gym shoes, of course. Well, only in Chicago or Cincinnati. Everyone else says either “tennis shoes” or “sneakers.”

I was also happy to see crayfish-crawfish-crawdad in there. Throughout our marriage, we have jokingly tried to convince our kids that those crustaceans are called crayfish (Chicago) or crawdad (Kansas). When I showed it to my wife it started the debate again and she said, “They aren’t fish.” Then I said, “Well, they aren’t dads either.” After a second more to think, I said, “Well, at least half of them aren’t.”

Also, now I know why my brother who moved to Connecticut started saying tag sale rather than garage sale.

You will love looking through this book, especially if you do it with someone else.

]]>Difficult Womenhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402149&blogid=1766
I was already looking forward to Roxane Gay's forthcoming collection of short stories; then I heard her interviewed on All Things Considered. And the reviews have been favorable, with Kirkus stating &#160;"Gay is an admirable risk-taker in her exploration of women's lives and new ways to tell their stories." Now I'm]]>KarenT2017-01-05T20:43:33ZI was already looking forward to Roxane Gay's forthcoming collection of short stories; then I heard her interviewed on All Things Considered. And the reviews have been favorable, with Kirkus stating "Gay is an admirable risk-taker in her exploration of women's lives and new ways to tell their stories." Now I'm even more eager to read it!

She also has a memoir, Hunger, coming out this spring.

]]>Ten Prayers That Changed the Worldhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402148&blogid=1766
Subtitled Extraordinary Stories of Faith That Shaped the Course of History, this is a 2016 book published by the National Geographic Society. In it are stories about ten prayers selected by author Jean-Pierre Isbouts, historian and doctoral professor at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. The b]]>David D.2017-01-05T18:23:41ZExtraordinary Stories of Faith That Shaped the Course of History, this is a 2016 book published by the National Geographic Society. In it are stories about ten prayers selected by author Jean-Pierre Isbouts, historian and doctoral professor at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. The book is naturally divided into ten chapters which are: Abraham's Plea, Jesus' Prayer to Abba, The Dream of Constantine, The Voices of Joan of Arc, Martin Luther's Hymn, George Washington's Prayer, The Prayer of St. Francis, The Prayer for Bastogne, Gandhi's Prayer for Peace, and Mother Teresa's Daily Prayer. As can be seen, these chapters cover a wide variety of religious persuasions, thought, and practice. Thus this volume can be used as an aid in personal devotion or as a historical study.]]>The Last Battlehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402134&blogid=1766
During the last few hours of the last day of World War II, in a remote medieval castle in an otherwise sleepy part of the Austrian countryside, US and German troops joined forces during one of the strangest and least-likely battles of the entire war. The Last Battle is an account of the hours leading up to that bat]]>Stewart F.2017-01-04T15:38:58ZThe Last Battle is an account of the hours leading up to that battle, when a small unit of defecting German conscripts and a handful of battle-weary US soldiers fought off two hundred Waffen-SS loyalists trying to take control of the Schloss Itter castle and capture the six French VIPs held captive inside. Desperately low on ammunition, and with only a single battle-damaged tank parked on the castle entrance, the US and German troops- along with the support of dozens of concentration camp survivors, Austrian resistance fighters, and the bickering French VIPs themselves- managed to hold off the invading SS troops long enough for reinforcements to arrive. That this book hasn't somehow been turned into a huge-budgeted Hollywood film is almost as astonishing as the story itself.]]>The Poet's Doghttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402132&blogid=1766
Patricia MacLachlan creates another heartwarming chapter book for readers of all ages with The Poet's Dog . This is an excellent book to read aloud with children. The relationships between pets, siblings, friends and poets will show you goodness, humor and love. “Dogs speak words, but only poets and children ca]]>Jill L2017-01-04T13:31:20ZPatricia MacLachlan creates another heartwarming chapter book for readers of all ages with The Poet's Dog. This is an excellent book to read aloud with children. The relationships between pets, siblings, friends and poets will show you goodness, humor and love. “Dogs speak words, but only poets and children can hear. When you can’t find a poet, find a child.” Thank you to the author for these words. I love looking at the world through the eyes of children, and this book does that perfectly. Does the dog save the children, or do the children save the dog? You’ll have to read for yourself and see if you can decide!]]>I Am a Child of Bookshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402127&blogid=1766
And I hope you are too. Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston teamed up to create one of my favorite picture books of the year. This is a book that young children will delight in hearing, older children will revisit the artwork and creativity again and again, and book lovers of all ages will be moved by its story.
C]]>AndreaV2017-01-04T09:36:58ZAnd I hope you are too. Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston teamed up to create one of my favorite picture books of the year. This is a book that young children will delight in hearing, older children will revisit the artwork and creativity again and again, and book lovers of all ages will be moved by its story.

Child of Books tells the story of a girl who sails across the sea of stories and visits a forest of fairy tales. The waves of the sea are "made" from classic texts, the leaves on the trees are "made" from fairy tale words.

The incredible mixed-media artwork in this book alone is worth checking out. But the real magic of this book is its moving tribute to the power of stories and imagination have to make us into who we are and to help us imagine all that we could be.

]]>The Edge of the Empirehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402126&blogid=1766
By CE 130, the city of Rome was the center of an enormous empire , roughly rectangular in shape, that stretched from the province of Aegyptus (Egypt) at its southeastern corner to Britannia in the northwest. Bronwen Riley chooses CE 130 as the year in which she imagines and constructs a journey “from the heart of Rome]]>PatrickJ2017-01-03T17:25:54Zenormous empire, roughly rectangular in shape, that stretched from the province of Aegyptus (Egypt) at its southeastern corner to Britannia in the northwest. Bronwen Riley chooses CE 130 as the year in which she imagines and constructs a journey “from the heart of Rome to Hadrian’s Wall” in this wonderfully accessible 2016 offering. In doing so, she draws upon a wide variety of sources ranging from modern scholarship to the immutable contributions of Cassius Dio, Tacitus, Suetonius, and Pliny the Younger.

While Egypt was immensely important to Rome, with the Nile River delta serving as the empire’s breadbasket, Britannia was… less so. Considered by cosmopolitan Romans to be the very embodiment of the term ‘provincial’, Britannia had functioned as an Imperial Province since CE 43 when the Emperor Claudius ordered finished the work begun by Julius Caesar almost a century prior. In the 90 years between CE 43 and 130, the Romans successfully secured their claim on Britannia, from the southern coast to the site of the modern village of Bowness-on-Solway, through the liberal application of butchery, diplomacy, and industry.

Unlike the tamer Senatorial Provinces closer to Rome such as Sicilia, Epirus, or even Macedonia, operations in Britannia were overseen by the Roman military. Riley selects for her travel companions the sorts of Romans who might be appointed to such a post. With her are Sextus Julius Severus, a battle-hardened Roman general who took up his governorship there in CE 130 and Minicius Natalis the Younger, the Patrician champion four-horse charioteer of the 227th Olympic Games, who assumed command of the Roman Sixth Legion at Eboracum (York) that same year.

Riley describes in exceptional detail the ins and outs of travelling as a Roman citizen during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, who we’ll recall from our Western Civ. courses as the third of the ‘Five Good Emperors’. How would one arrange for travel from the ports of Ostia to those in Gallia Narbonensis on the far side of the Alps? What should one know of the intricacies of Gallic hospitality on the way to Gesoriacum (Bulogne)? Here’s a travel tip: avoid the ‘pork’ offered by dodgy innkeepers if you harbor any qualms regarding potential acts of cannibalism.

Along the way, Riley draws attention to the myriad foundations of modern western civilization laid by Roman engineers. Upon arrival in the cities of Britannia, Riley focuses on the ways in which those engineers set to work emulating Roman life on the fringes of the empire. After all, city planning and the provision of civic institutions such as temples, amphitheaters, public baths, and above all, roads, were as important to Romans on the edge of their world as it was to those at its center.

It’s an engaging, immersive work that ultimately has far more in common with a historical monograph than a travel guide or a gazetteer, and in my opinion, comes off as less heavy and more approachable. Anglophiles and Romanophiles in particular will not be disappointed.]]>Utopia Is Creepyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402111&blogid=1766
Anyone familiar with his previous books, most notably The Shallows or The Glass Cage , knows Nicholas Carr as one of our greatest critical thinkers when it comes to technologies impact on society. Carr’s latest title, Utopia Is Creepy and other provocations , collects a decade’s worth of posts from his blog, al]]>mykyl2016-12-27T15:05:33ZThe Shallows or The Glass Cage, knows Nicholas Carr as one of our greatest critical thinkers when it comes to technologies impact on society. Carr’s latest title, Utopia Is Creepy and other provocations, collects a decade’s worth of posts from his blog, along with several essays that focus squarely on undermining Silicon Valley’s Pollyannaish insistence that technology and the web can solve any problem facing society and will make EVERYTHING better. But Carr is far from a technophobic luddite, he clearly deeply understands the technology he skewers, but he also understands technologies limits. No matter where you land on the techy to technophobic scale, Carr’s stinging wit and casual style are well worth checking out.]]>Strangers Drowninghttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402108&blogid=1766
I just finished my favorite book of the year, Strangers Drowning by Larissa MacFarquhar. It didn’t make it on to my best of list because I turned that in before I read this.
&#160; MacFarquhar tells us about the lives of several “do-gooders” who do things like live on very little of their income and give the r]]>Steve S2016-12-27T10:28:07ZI just finished my favorite book of the year, Strangers Drowning by Larissa MacFarquhar. It didn’t make it on to my best of list because I turned that in before I read this.

MacFarquhar tells us about the lives of several “do-gooders” who do things like live on very little of their income and give the rest away, start a leprosy colony in India, and adopt 20 children; many with special needs. She tells their stories with no analysis or judgments. She doesn’t need to. The stories are so incredible you cannot help but wonder about so many things.

Then there are chapters in between the stories that look at society’s and the psychiatric profession’s reaction to do-gooders. If nothing else, they can make us feel uncomfortable as we compare our lives to theirs. However, she also details our suspicions about them and explanations of their behavior that often make them out to be mentally ill or in actuality, selfish.

I don’t know if this was the author’s desired outcome, but the juxtaposition of the two things made me think how meaningless or irrelevant all the criticisms were; how petty the suspicions.I could only be left to admire these people and their efforts and feel for them as they struggled in these situations and themselves questioned what they were doing.

]]>The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomeryhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402107&blogid=1766
I haven’t finished it yet, but since I’m half-way through, I think I can already vouch for Sy Montgomery’s The Soul of an Octopus . I’m sure somebody else at KPL recommended the book when it first came out in 2015, but I’d still like to put in my two cents.
In The Soul of an Octopus , the animal loving author res]]>ElyseM2016-12-23T11:51:30ZI haven’t finished it yet, but since I’m half-way through, I think I can already vouch for Sy Montgomery’s The Soul of an Octopus. I’m sure somebody else at KPL recommended the book when it first came out in 2015, but I’d still like to put in my two cents.

In The Soul of an Octopus, the animal loving author researches the misunderstood octopus by visiting the New England Aquarium, located in downtown Boston, and speaking with the professionals there. She also observes and interacts with the resident octopuses, developing a strong emotional connection to each one. As she narrates her experiences at the aquarium, Montgomery teaches us a lot about these cephalopods’ intelligence, personalities, and unique abilities. She wants to know how these highly specialized organisms live and think, and she wants her readers to appreciate them for how amazing they are rather than simply dismissing them as monsters of the sea. I’ve been jotting down some of my favorite facts while reading. Here are a few:

-There are around 250 species of octopus and the giant Pacific octopus is the largest (p. 3).

-Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood (due to copper carrying the oxygen through their blood rather than iron, like in humans) (p. 13).

Montgomery shares these facts about octopuses as she tells the stories of her new human and marine friends at the aquarium. In order to discover more, you’ll have to read it for yourself. The only aspect of the book I have not enjoyed has been Montgomery’s intense emotions about the octopuses she meets. For me, her personal experience comes on too strong at times and dilutes the purpose of the book. But you may feel differently when you read it. Give it a try!

]]>Motor Mileshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402089&blogid=1766
“Miles was a very difficult dog.” &#160; He didn’t like rain, or going for walks, and
he barked too much. &#160; But he did love one
thing . . .going for rides in the car, especially up the hill to the café. &#160; So the neighbor, Mr. Huddy, decided to make a
car just for Miles. &#160; Well, that cert]]>Susan2016-12-21T11:39:59Z“Miles was a very difficult dog.”He didn’t like rain, or going for walks, and
he barked too much.But he did love one
thing . . .going for rides in the car, especially up the hill to the café.So the neighbor, Mr. Huddy, decided to make a
car just for Miles.Well, that certainly
changed things!I do love John
Burningham’s matter-of-fact story voice; and his illustrations are the perfect
blend of watercolor and ink squiggles.

]]>Nikki Giovanni is still the bomb!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402084&blogid=1766
She’s been around a long time. She’s done her time and
speaks her mind. I heard her speak last spring and now whenever I read her works
I hear her voice while reading it. I can picture her talking about Amos ‘n’ Andy and why the show was popular as well as important to
Black families. In her book Chasing Utopia]]>JudiR2016-12-20T14:31:05ZShe’s been around a long time. She’s done her time and
speaks her mind. I heard her speak last spring and now whenever I read her works
I hear her voice while reading it. I can picture her talking about Amos ‘n’ Andy and why the show was popular as well as important to
Black families. In her book Chasing UtopiaI can hear her
reaffirming my feelings about how fantastic Nina Simone was. Ms. Giovanni talks
about meeting Nina Simone in a bookstore in Harlem and that even though she was
famous she (Ms. Giovanni) invited her to a party. Her mother told her Nina
Simone is not coming to your party and Nina Simone came.

The best thing about poetry is that you can do a hit and run.
You can touch on a topic and move on to hit on another one and Nikki Giovanni
does that well. In her poem Werewolf Avoidance, she suggests “that our poems
should be strong in our emotions and our words that might make us difficult to
live with”. She’s not talking "namby-pamby poetry" when she talks about Sarah
Palin in her poem, The Lone Ranger Rides the Lonesome Trail Again. Sometimes she's spicy, sometimes she's sweet. Nikki Giovanni does it well.

]]>Oliver and Olliehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402076&blogid=1766
Although the book, Oliver the Cat Who Saved Christmas: The Tale of a Little Cat with a Big Heart by Sheila Norton is a work of adult fiction, it nevertheless reads like a true story. This despite the fact that the narrator is the main feline character himself. Set in the English countryside, it's a heartwarming ta]]>TeresaM-R2016-12-19T16:23:50ZAlthough the book, Oliver the Cat Who Saved Christmas: The Tale of a Little Cat with a Big Heart by Sheila Norton is a work of adult fiction, it nevertheless reads like a true story. This despite the fact that the narrator is the main feline character himself. Set in the English countryside, it's a heartwarming tale of an orange young cat who at the start of the volume leads the good life with his best friend George., who owns the village pub called The Forester's Arms.

One night after last call, a fire breaks out in the pub which destroys the establishment and turns Oliver's entire world upside down. During the mayhem and confusion of the conflagration, he is separated from George. Over the course of a few episodes, he has brushes with danger, is adopted by other humans more than once, considerably brightens the life of one reclusive girl he meets, and in the end..., well you better read it for yourself.

This story is told in Oliver's own voice displaying the feline perspective. All in all, Oliver is a very special cat who seems to bring happiness and good cheer wherever he goes, and to all he meets.

My husband and I are also proud owners of a cat named Oliver; Ollie for short. We found him seven or so years ago while taking a walk on a college campus near some tennis courts. Although we were never certain of this, it appeared as if he had been thrown from a car sometime ago. My husband spotted the little grey animal that at first sight looked like a dead baby possum. Upon closer inspection and the creature's sudden but slight head movement he realized that what he had in front of him was a very dirty, exhausted kitten , fighting to stay alive. After retrieving a cat carrier from home, we drove the kitten to the local cat hospital. There, the veterinarian told us that our foundling would probably not have survived another twenty-four hours if we hadn't gotten to him, since he was very dehydrated and hadn't had a meal in days.

While being treated at the vet's, he ate voraciously and drank lots of water. After close to two weeks, he was ready for a good new home. Since I visited him daily at the clinic, I grew very fond of this cat who just also happened to be a very determined talker. He seemed to want to tell me every detail of what terrible plight had befallen him and I fell in love with the little guy. After convincing my husband that our family was the only one for this kitten, we named him Ollie and he joined our other two cats and bunny.

Ollie is a very special cat; he enjoys gabbing with us every chance he gets and is a real sweetheart.

Happy holidays to all!

]]>Anything but ordinary Addie: the true story of Adelaide Herrmann, the Queen of Magichttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402066&blogid=1766
This winter KPL has invited everyone to take part in a Winter Reading Challenge , and I hope everyone will! &#160;I needed a book for the second reading activity: &#160; Read about a topic you don't know much about . &#160;I thought I knew some things about magicians and how they do tricks, but I realized how little ]]>KalaL2016-12-16T15:43:32ZThis winter KPL has invited everyone to take part in a Winter Reading Challenge, and I hope everyone will! I needed a book for the second reading activity: Read about a topic you don't know much about. I thought I knew some things about magicians and how they do tricks, but I realized how little I knew about the history of magicians when I came across Anything but ordinary Addie: the true story of Adelaide Herrmann, the Queen of Magic. This new biography picture book for children is FANTASTIC! It is about the life of Adelaide Herrmann who was a "shocking" and "dazzling" magician during a time when being a female magician was unheard of.

I am always excited to see little known facts about women's contributions to history come to light, especially in a children's book. As a young girl, Adelaide knew she wanted to be different and she wanted to do things not expected of a young girl growing up during the Victorian era. What better way to shock society than to grow up and become a magician, get shot out of a cannon, be set on fire, or have your head cut off. The full color illustrations in this book are vibrant and powerful; they bring the pages to life. The author Mara Rockliff has written a simple, easy flowing story that will engage anyone reading it. I recommend this as a must read for elementary school kids and preschoolers will definitely enjoy the wonderful illustrations.

]]>The Sultan and the Queenhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402065&blogid=1766
In 1570,&#160; Queen Elizabeth I &#160; of England was excommunicated from the Catholic Church by&#160; Pope Pius V . He named her a heretic, a pretender to the throne of England, and released from their allegiance all her subjects, lest they too face excommunication. Such was the attitude of Catholic Europe tow]]>PatrickJ2016-12-16T13:54:56ZIn 1570, Queen Elizabeth Iof England was excommunicated from the Catholic Church by Pope Pius V. He named her a heretic, a pretender to the throne of England, and released from their allegiance all her subjects, lest they too face excommunication. Such was the attitude of Catholic Europe towards Elizabeth who, following the death of her half-sister,Queen Mary I, reinstituted the Church of England’s independence from papal authority.

While the kingdoms and principalities of Europe increasingly began to take sides amidst the great wars between Catholics and Protestants which dominated the geopolitics of that region between the sixteenth and mid-seventeenth centuries, England’s geography and antagonistic relationship with Catholic maritime powers, namely Spain, meant allies and trading partners were few and far between.

When a letter was delivered to Queen Elizabeth in 1579, curiously wrapped in a satin bag and fastened with a silver capsule, it signaled the onset of an unlikely and unprecedented correspondence. For the first time ever, a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire had written to an English monarch. In her search for friendly trading ports, Elizabeth dispatched envoys and merchants to the Mediterranean in the hopes of establishing prosperous relations with the cities of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans. Word of the arrival of Englishmen in ports under his control had prompted the young Sultan Murad III to write to Elizabeth inviting her countrymen to establish friendly trading relations, provided she would acknowledge his greatness and function as his subject.

With the entire expanse of Catholic Europe acting as a buffer state and certain economic crisis looming, Elizabeth found these terms agreeable enough. The correspondence between these two rulers, and the ensuing cross-cultural transference of goods and ideas is the subject of Jerry Brotton’sThe Sultan and the Queen. A professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary University of London, Brotton uses this relationship as a wonderfully unique lens with which to view Elizabethan England – no small task, given the sheer volume of available scholarship concerning that time and place.

The result is a work which provides a new angle of insight into the attitudes, alliances, and indeed even popular culture of Elizabeth’s England. Brotton draws significantly on the plays of Shakespeare and Marlowe as supporting primary sources to explain how English disposition towards the Ottomans and the tenants of Islam metamorphosed during this era. Armed with this context, it becomes impossible to engage with works such as Othello in the same way again. If ‘untold’ historical narratives are your thing, I promise you will enjoy this offering thoroughly.

]]>Lucky Pennyhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402037&blogid=1766
Penny’s life is a mess. She’s living out of her friend’s
storage unit, and working for a 12-year-old tyrant at a laundromat. When she’s
not attempting to rescue cats from mean kids in the neighborhood, she’s reading
fantasy romance novels, and working on a real life awkward romance of her own.
Lucky Penny ]]>MilanH2016-12-08T17:31:36Z

Penny’s life is a mess. She’s living out of her friend’s
storage unit, and working for a 12-year-old tyrant at a laundromat. When she’s
not attempting to rescue cats from mean kids in the neighborhood, she’s reading
fantasy romance novels, and working on a real life awkward romance of her own.
Lucky Penny, by creators Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota, is a quirky romantic
comedy, and also my new favorite graphic novel at the moment.

It reads like a cross between the epic Scott Pilgrim series and
the super twee web cartoon Bee and Puppycat. It’s adorable, funny, and unabashedly
nerdy. I enjoyed it immensely, and you probably will too, so check it out
already!

]]>Of Fire and Starshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402023&blogid=1766
I love a good, fun fantasy. The world building in Audrey Coulthurst’s debut novel, Of Fire and Stars , is thorough and interesting, as is the character development. Right from the start we are introduced to a girl who discovers she has an Affinity for fire, and while parts of the world are accepting of that, she’s alr]]>KirstenJ2016-12-06T17:54:00ZOf Fire and Stars, is thorough and interesting, as is the character development. Right from the start we are introduced to a girl who discovers she has an Affinity for fire, and while parts of the world are accepting of that, she’s already betrothed to the prince of a kingdom that believes magic use to be heretical. What gives this story a great twist is the romance that blossoms between our protagonist and the sister of her betrothed. I found it refreshing and interesting to read a world where their priorities were flipped - the main challenge of these two women being together wasn’t that they were both women, but that one was betrothed to the other’s brother. Oh, and she can use magic, which is kind of a big deal. Especially when magic-users might be involved in an assassination (or two). There were so many layers to this fantasy, and each one made me want more, even days after finishing the book.]]>Level Up Your Classroomhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032402011&blogid=1766
Many people understand how compelling games can be – just look at how much time people spend playing games in all their formats! What if the qualities that motivate people to come back again and again to the games they love could be utilized to maximize motivation to construct learning? Level Up Your Classroom: The Q]]>BillC2016-12-05T20:24:03ZLevel Up Your Classroom: The Quest to Gamify Your Lessons and Engage Your Students, by Jonathan Cassie, answers these questions:• What happens to student learning when it is gamified?• Why would I want to gamify instruction for my students?• How do I do this?While game-based learning, using specific games to help kids learn, can be useful, this book is not only about that. Rather, the big idea here is to identify and learn to utilize the attributes that make games so compelling in order to facilitate learning. Cassie posits that understanding and recognizing the fundamental properties of games allow teachers to use those properties to facilitate learning. Here is an accessible and practical book with many access points for gamifying your classroom. If you are a game fanatic but don’t know how to incorporate gamification into teaching (or parenting) this is the book for you. If you don’t identify as a gamer yet you recognize there might be some value in gameplay for your students, this book could be... yep, you guessed it, a game-changer.

]]>A History of Architecture in 100 Buildingshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401978&blogid=1766
Of the 100 buildings pictured and discussed in this 2015 book, only nine are in the United States, the closest to Kalamazoo being Mies van de Rohe's 1945-1951 Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois. Hence, this is quite an international volume. The chapters are Pioneers, Rhetoric (Building with a Message), Sacred, Urban V]]>David D.2016-12-01T19:52:39Z]]>Muhammad Ali unfilteredhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401975&blogid=1766
Filled with intimate color and black and white photos, Muhammad Ali unfiltered is a pictorial tribute to The Champ's life and legacy. My favorite pictures in the book are one of him running behind his children in a stroller on a hill and the telegram he sent to Martin Luther King, Jr. who was jailed in Birmingham]]>KristenL2016-12-01T12:54:35ZMuhammad Ali unfiltered is a pictorial tribute to The Champ's life and legacy. My favorite pictures in the book are one of him running behind his children in a stroller on a hill and the telegram he sent to Martin Luther King, Jr. who was jailed in Birmingham. If you want to see more like this, check out the book, and appreciate this legend all over again.]]>Miss Janehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401961&blogid=1766
From Miss Jane by Brad Watson: “She was born into that time and place, in the farmland cut from the pine and broadleaf woods of east-central Mississippi, 1915, when there was no possibility of doing anything to alleviate her condition, no medical procedure to correct it. It was something to be accepted, grim-face]]>CaitAmy2016-11-30T16:13:12ZMiss Jane by Brad Watson:

“She was born into that time and place, in the farmland cut from the pine and broadleaf woods of east-central Mississippi, 1915, when there was no possibility of doing anything to alleviate her condition, no medical procedure to correct it. It was something to be accepted, grim-faced, as they accepted crop failure, debt, poverty, the frequent deaths of infants and small children from fevers and other maladies.”

The novel Miss Jane is a beautifully-written character study of a girl born alone in every way—an odd duck in a family worn down by hardship, alienated from society due to the unique nature of her disability and in no small part to simple geography. She is alone save for the paternal kindness of a country doctor. But there is something about Jane Chisolm, something deep inside, that allows her to connect with nature and build a meaningful life in solitary. I can’t say enough about this book; Brad Watson writes with empathy for his heroine, an empathy that extends out to all of us experiencing the human condition. Using beautiful descriptions of nature to foster tone and atmosphere in the novel, Watson creates a striking sensory experience that propels Miss Jane to the forefront of great contemporary fiction. ]]>Cat Rackhamhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401959&blogid=1766
Cat Rackham is a cat. Specifically, Cat Rackham is a cat with a lot of issues. Depression? He's got it. Existential dread? Same. Self-doubt? Yes. On the other hand he's also got a nifty green t-shirt, a squishy tuft of hair, and a friend in exuberant, speech-impedimented Jeremy Squirrel, but aside from that he's stil]]>Stewart F.2016-11-30T15:09:30ZCat Rackham is a cat. Specifically, Cat Rackham is a cat with a lot of issues. Depression? He's got it. Existential dread? Same. Self-doubt? Yes. On the other hand he's also got a nifty green t-shirt, a squishy tuft of hair, and a friend in exuberant, speech-impedimented Jeremy Squirrel, but aside from that he's still pretty much a mess. Mostly wordless, each Cat Rackham vignette in this collection illustrates the poor feline's coping with life's difficulties, with varying degrees of success. Originally published as an infrequent online comic, Cat Rackham is a more-or-less literal embodiment of creator Steve Wolfhard's personal struggles with depression, along with a love of cats and a desire to entertain. Wolfhard's day job as a storyboard artist and animator for sorta-for-kids-although-maybe-not-I-don't-know cartoon Adventure Timeshows through, with blobby character designs and a morbid sense of humor dominating each page. If you're struggling, if you like cats, or both, maybe Cat Rackham can help. Or not. He's having a hard time himself.]]>A Feast for the Eyeshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401939&blogid=1766
I can't speak to quality or accuracy of the recipes contained in the following books, but the photos in these cookbooks, all published in 2016, will certainly leave your stomach growling! Samarkand: Recipes &amp; Stories from Central Asia &amp; the Caucasus Summers Under the Tamarind Tree: Recipes &amp; Memories f]]>AngelaF2016-11-29T15:41:26ZSamarkand: Recipes & Stories from Central Asia & the CaucasusSummers Under the Tamarind Tree: Recipes & Memories from Pakistan

Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas*Not exactly a cookbook, but consider it your digestif to this visual meal.]]>American Nationshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401935&blogid=1766
Could the cultural values of the different European immigrants that first immigrated to what we now call the United States still be affecting our election results? Colin Woodard thinks so. He breaks the country up into eleven regional cultures, but he sees most of political history as a conflict between Yankeedom, d]]>Steve S2016-11-29T09:04:04ZCould the cultural values of the different European immigrants that first immigrated to what we now call the United States still be affecting our election results? Colin Woodard thinks so. He breaks the country up into eleven regional cultures, but he sees most of political history as a conflict between Yankeedom, descendants of the Pilgrims and Puritans; and the Deep South, immigrants from the British colony Barbados that landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1670. In American Nations, Woodard tells the history of the arrival and expansion of these different groups and how they have aligned and broken apart through the next four centuries.

The most fascinating part for me was the Revolutionary War section which showed that the colonies were in no way united about whether or why to start a revolution.

]]>Towers Fallinghttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401926&blogid=1766
I remember how nice the day was. How I didn’t want to go to school. I remember being bored in my Focus on Freshman class when the assistant principal ran, red faced and huffing, into the classroom, handed our teacher a piece of paper, and then ran out. I remember the whole class asking if we were on lockdown, if there]]>KirstenJ2016-11-28T13:46:35ZI remember how nice the day was. How I didn’t want to go to school. I remember being bored in my Focus on Freshman class when the assistant principal ran, red faced and huffing, into the classroom, handed our teacher a piece of paper, and then ran out. I remember the whole class asking if we were on lockdown, if there was an active shooter in our school, or in the high school across town. I remember the teacher struggling with how to explain what had just happened to a bunch of 9th graders. I remember thinking the world was about to change.

It’s hard to imagine that something that happened not that long ago, something I can still remember so vividly, could be a foreign concept to someone else. In Towers Falling, fifth grader Dèja Barnes wonders how something that happened before she was born could have to do with her. How could this bit of history, something that happened 15 years ago, have any impact on her now? The story follows her as she realizes that 9/11 may have happened before she was born, but the effects have touched everyone around her, and ripple outward to affect her life in ways she did not previously understand. This book does such a fabulous job of showing how we are all connected through our small communities that build outward and how we’re all connected as Americans to 9/11 and how history is never something that exists only in the past tense.

]]>They all saw a cathttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401898&blogid=1766
I discovered this book at this year’s Youth Literature Seminar and had to take it home with me. The book has a simple, repetitive, rhyming text that is great when reading to very young children and gives it a sort of sing-song quality. What I really love about this book though, is the way it is illustrated.]]>MikkiH2016-11-21T12:50:17Z

I discovered this book at this year’s Youth Literature Seminar and had to take it home with me. The book has a simple, repetitive, rhyming text that is great when reading to very young children and gives it a sort of sing-song quality. What I really love about this book though, is the way it is illustrated. The cat meets a number of other animals and each has a different view or perspective of it. The dog and the mouse, for example, see the cat very differently. Some of my favorite illustrations were of how the bee, the worm and the, flea see it. Come check out our copy to see what a snake thinks of a cat!

]]>Wet Cement: a mix of concrete poemshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401888&blogid=1766
Concrete Poetry is poetry where the visual elements and typeface match the topic of the poem. In his latest poetry collection, Wet Cement , Bob Raczka shares the cleverest concrete poems (also called shape poems). Young poetry fans and their caregivers will be delighted by the topics, humor, wordplay, and imagery. ]]>AndreaV2016-11-17T13:06:38ZConcrete Poetry is poetry where the visual elements and typeface match the topic of the poem. In his latest poetry collection, Wet Cement, Bob Raczka shares the cleverest concrete poems (also called shape poems). Young poetry fans and their caregivers will be delighted by the topics, humor, wordplay, and imagery. It’s a perfect poetry collection for sharing with new readers and is oft requested at our house. It will make you laugh and think and hopefully inspire you to write some concrete poems of your own. My favorite line describes the Big Dipper constellation as a “vessel of stars, my brim overflowing with night.” For a more thorough review and information about writing and learning with concrete poems, visit School Library Journal. ]]>The Princess and the Warrior, A Tale of Two Volcanoeshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401874&blogid=1766
There have only been a few occasions where I
have discovered an author that I would eventually become obsessed with.&#160; Duncan Tonatiuh (toh-nah-tee-YOU) is one
of those authors.&#160; I was so excited to read
his latest children’s book, The Princess and the Warrior, A Tale of Two Volcanoes . In it, he re]]>KalaL2016-11-16T15:01:10ZThere have only been a few occasions where I
have discovered an author that I would eventually become obsessed with. Duncan Tonatiuh (toh-nah-tee-YOU) is one
of those authors. I was so excited to read
his latest children’s book, The Princess and the Warrior, A Tale of Two Volcanoes. In it, he retells the legend
of the two great volcanoes overlooking Mexico City: Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Once again Tonatiuh's artistic style successfully
represents the legends, the people, the history, and the culture of Mexico.

Tonatiuh is Mexican American and he grew up
in both countries. He has received well-deserved
recognitions and awards for his works including the Pura Belpre’ Medal and the
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award. Now more than ever, it
is important to continue to highlight diverse children’s books that promote pride, acceptance, and appreciation for all cultures. This book does all this and more.

]]>My Tata's Remedies/Los remedios de mi tatahttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401872&blogid=1766
Plants are powerful. You probably know how, after cooling with lots of cold water, aloe vera plant can be a salve to soothe a minor burn. Aaron's Tata Gus is a go-to person in the community when people need a remedy for a burn, scrape, or bump. He’s got remedies for lots of different maladies and his community is grate]]>BillC2016-11-15T14:44:19ZMy Nana’s Remedies/Los remedies de mi nana, these traditional remedies are based in herbs found in the everyday world. It is often elders who have earned the respect of the community with compassion, knowledge, and a history of service to the community. The pages at the end of both books give more detail about the plants and herbs described in the stories. Both books are written in both Spanish and English and are based in the author’s community in the Nogales-Tuscon area in North America.I like how My Tata's Remedies/Los remedios de mi tata, a Pura Belpre Honor bookshows how a community looks out for one another with food and with herbal remedies. ]]>To All Misunderstood Cows, Here’s Moo To Youhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401853&blogid=1766
MOO &#160; &#160;is written by award winning author Sharon Creech, who also penned Walk Two Moons , The Wanderer , Ruby Holler and others. She wrote this book partly because she lives in rural Maine and partly because over time she has become “enchanted by cows.”
This work of fiction for third graders and old]]>TeresaM-R2016-11-14T08:07:07ZMOO is written by award winning author Sharon Creech, who also penned Walk Two Moons, The Wanderer, Ruby Holler and others. She wrote this book partly because she lives in rural Maine and partly because over time she has become “enchanted by cows.”

This work of fiction for third graders and older kids is about a family: Mom, Dad, twelve year-old Reena, and seven year-old Luke. The family moves from the big city to Maine, after the parents lose their jobs at a newspaper that goes out of business.

It’s Mom’s idea to just get away from big city life, buy where to go? At this point. Reena blurts out “Maine!” The reaction of her parents is, “Of course!” That is where they had met and fell in love. It made perfect sense to move back. After all, Maine is full of great things - lobsters, blueberries, a beautiful ocean with breaking waves, lighthouses, mountains. But there is one big minus about Maine: Winters are awfully cold there.

There will have to be a period of getting used to Maine’s unique characteristics such as few buses, little traffic, few tall buildings, but mostly to good things. The family moves to a small town on the coast with the ocean just a short block away. They rent a small old house with a woodstove inside and apple and lilac trees outside. As the parents unpack, the kids are let loose to ride their bikes on wide sidewalks and explore their new surroundings.

Since they move to Maine during the summer months, Mom looks for something to occupy the kids. She meets and befriends an elderly neighbor lady who could use some help. Mom “volunteers” the kids to help her with her farm. Mrs. Falala is rather eccentric and bossy, but plays the flute beautifully. As it turns out she also has quite a menagerie of “pets”- Paulie the hog, China the cat, Crockett the parrot, and last but certainly not least a belted back and white Galloway cow named Zora. Oh yes, there’s also a snake named Edna.

Upon meeting cow Zora, the kids, who don’t know a thing about cows, find out that Zora is not only stubborn but ornery as well. But it is their job to take care of her daily needs. The kids scoop and shovel piles of cow dung as well as fill buckets full with feed and water. They do these tasks over and over again and learn a lot about cows in the process. By the end of the book they grow to appreciate Zora and even get to show her at a fair. Supposedly Zora is a prized cow with great lineage. They also grow fond of Mrs. Falala, her flute playing and all of her eccentricities.

A great read that is humorous, sad and heartwarming. A book I found very difficult to put down. In fact, so much so that I read it in just one sitting. Highly recommended and sure to please young and older animal lovers alike.

]]>Six of Crowshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401817&blogid=1766
&#160;I just finished this book, and it is so great that I just
have to tell you all about it! It’s called Six of Crows , and it’s written by
Leigh Bardugo. It’s a heist novel, set in a fantasy world, and normally I don’t go for these types of
stories, because I’m more into nuanced character studies, but that’s pa]]>MilanH2016-11-10T14:15:16Z I just finished this book, and it is so great that I just
have to tell you all about it! It’s called Six of Crows, and it’s written by
Leigh Bardugo. It’s a heist novel, set in a fantasy world, and normally I don’t go for these types of
stories, because I’m more into nuanced character studies, but that’s part of
why this book is so great.

Each and every character on the team for the big job in this
book is fully three-dimensional, with worries, fears, and short comings. Also,
it’s a diverse cast of characters, which is really refreshing. The leader of
the team Kaz, is 17 and has to walk with a cane due to an injury, and the
author wrote that she included this because she herself has to walk with a cane
due to a disability.

A lot of times disabled people are erased from narratives,
or if they are included in the story, they are defined by their disability. So
I was elated to see a strong, complex, interesting character like Kaz.

I love this book, and I’m excited to start on the sequel.
Don’t miss out!

]]>The Urban Monkhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401803&blogid=1766
As a natural skeptic, I usually don’t put much stock into any book that touts itself as “life changing” or offers “easy steps to health and happiness”. So when I picked up Pedram Shojai’s The Urban Monk , I was expecting to quickly skim a few chapters followed by a healthy dose of eye-rolling. However, I was pleasantl]]>mykyl2016-11-09T11:48:17ZThe Urban Monk, I was expecting to quickly skim a few chapters followed by a healthy dose of eye-rolling. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find much more pragmatic advice, and a unique mix of ancient wisdom and modern science, than the expected empty health claims and Pollyannaish platitudes. I do understand that a deep dive, or even a toe dip, into eastern medicine and philosophy won’t be for everyone. But there isn’t a person I know that wouldn’t benefit from having a better handle on their stress levels, couldn’t use a little more joy and balance in their lives, or simply not feeling totally overwhelmed by the modern world, and the tips offered in The Urban Monk certainly won’t hurt in the pursuit of that better life.]]>Best Book on Racism I've Ever Readhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401802&blogid=1766
There is nothing I can say to do this book justice. Let's start here: certain books change our life, our perspective, our understanding, and bring us to a new level as moral human beings. This is one of those books ( The Invisible Man and Between the World and Me come to mind as well). But this was the best book I']]>MattS2016-11-09T11:12:31ZThere is nothing I can say to do this book justice. Let's start here: certain books change our life, our perspective, our understanding, and bring us to a new level as moral human beings. This is one of those books (The Invisible Man and Between the World and Me come to mind as well). But this was the best book I've ever read on racism in America, bar none. I enjoyed Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow, and this is similar, but Stamped is much better in terms of scope and writing style, ambition and courage.

Do not be fooled or scared by the length of the book. I devoured every single page and, wanting more, began reading it again. It reads fast, like a short book with huge ambition - it chronicles the entire history of racist ideas in America, and it does so brilliantly to a popular audience. From sipping English tea and trading slaves to the Americas, to Barak Obama as president, all ideas about race are analyzed and put into their historical context (to name one: "law and order")

Some main ideas to chew on. First, ideas about race come in three flavors (a) antiracist ideas, which means roughly "there's nothing wrong with Black people." hint: that's the correct position. (b) segregationist ideas, "there's something inherently wrong with Black people", and (c) assimilationist ideas, "there's something wrong with Black people, but we can fix it, and they probably need to be more White." The book is a case study in how wrong, insidious, and powerful assimilationist ideas are throughout our history. Second, Black folks can be racist towards black people. Ideas don't discriminate and we are all swimming in the same pool. Indeed, the author begins the book by saying he had several racist ideas that he had to shed during the writing of the book. He drank some of the kool-aid, without even knowing it. A big part of the book is boldly calling out these ideas. He is not soft on historical figures. History has always had antiracist ideas and racist ideas. Third, most of the solutions we have tried have not worked, sadly. Pointing at successful Black people and saying "see! look!" hasn't worked (and has the opposite affect). And educating White people hasn't worked either. Kendi believes nothing less than a massive, grassroots movement (e.g. Black Power, Black Lives Matter) which forces powerful people to end discrimination will work. And having truly antiracist people in power is the only long-term solution. End discrimination, he says, and you end racism and racist ideas about Black people.

]]>The story of the first student-run high school!http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401786&blogid=1766
&#160;A school of their own is the story of how author, Samuel Levin, as a high school junior created a student-run high school after achieving international fame for his student-run farm-to-school lunch program. “The Independent Project” an alternative school that is part of the Monument Mountain Regional High Schoo]]>KristenL2016-11-07T10:28:10Z

A school of their own is the story of how author, Samuel Levin, as a high school junior created a student-run high school after achieving international fame for his student-run farm-to-school lunch program. “The Independent Project” an alternative school that is part of the Monument Mountain Regional High School in Massachusetts, allows teens to decide their own curriculum, with no parents, teachers or adults intervening. The program has been wildly successful since its inception in 2010, partially because it accommodates different kinds of learners, and has allowed kids to graduate from high school that might not have otherwise.

]]>X Child Stars : Where Are They Now?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401774&blogid=1766
Here's another 2016 book that, for me anyway, turned out to be addictive. I know, I know -- I could have Googled all these stars' names and found good information about them, but then I would first have had to know what names to look up. Kathy Garver, child actress on Family Affair in the late 1960s and early 1970s, ]]>David D.2016-11-02T20:34:39ZFamily Affair in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has written this book that categorizes child actors by the programs in which they starred and includes biographies that bring each actor's story up to the current date. Covered are shows from the 1950s, beginning with I Love Lucy and ending with the 1980s and Family Matters. It's nice that each chapter begins with a summary of the show, telling how many seasons the show aired, on what network and when, and giving other historical details. Anyone who saw TV during the years covered will find much to like about this volume.]]>Thunder Boy Jr.http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401772&blogid=1766
Thunder Boy Jr . by Sherman Alexie, illus. by YuYi Morales.&#160;My mother’s name is Agnes. My sister’s name is Lillian. But my name is Thunder Boy Smith Jr. and people call me LITTLE THUNDER. That is not a normal name. I HATE MY NAME! I am named after my father: Thunder Boy Smith Sr. and people call him BIG T]]>AmyChase2016-11-02T14:53:50ZThunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie, illus. by YuYi Morales. My mother’s name is Agnes. My sister’s name is Lillian. But my name is Thunder Boy Smith Jr. and people call me LITTLE THUNDER. That is not a normal name. I HATE MY NAME! I am named after my father: Thunder Boy Smith Sr. and people call him BIG THUNDER.

My mother wanted to name me Sam, Sam is a normal name. I want a name that sounds like me. I want a name that celebrates something cool that I’ve done. I’ve climbed a mountain, maybe my name should be TOUCH THE CLOUDS. I like to go to garage sales with my mom, so maybe my name should be OLD TOYS ARE AWESOME. Little Thunder continues the possibilities of names for himself. Finally, his father tells him that he is going to give a new name to his son. The name he gives him will light up the sky. This is an engaging story that is fun to read.

]]>Make Awesome Beer at Homehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401761&blogid=1766
I’ve been making beer at home for a few years now. Beers, just like food, can only be as good as the recipes they come from. One of the problems with homebrewing is that the internet is a repository for terrible beer recipes, turns out. Therefore, it becomes important to either experiment on your own (which could end ]]>MattS2016-10-31T16:49:45ZI’ve been making beer at home for a few years now. Beers, just like food, can only be as good as the recipes they come from. One of the problems with homebrewing is that the internet is a repository for terrible beer recipes, turns out. Therefore, it becomes important to either experiment on your own (which could end in disaster), or find recipes that you trust. I recommend starting with the latter to get a basic understanding of various styles.

Who to trust? Enter this book. Gordon Strong is an excellent award winning brewer. His recipes are top notch, and he explains them. I almost feel like I’m cheating. I wouldn't use this book to learn about the process of homebrewing, especially if you're a beginning. Strong's process is quite complicated and daunting.

Cheers!

]]>We Found A Hathttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401759&blogid=1766
We Found A Hat is Jon Klassen's third and final book in a loose trilogy of picture books ostensibly about ridiculous animals wearing ill-fitting hats. This time around, the animals in question are a pair of sleepy tortoises, the hat is a white cowboy hat, and the setting is the desert just before nightfall. The pro]]>Stewart F.2016-10-31T15:17:28ZWe Found A Hat is Jon Klassen's third and final book in a loose trilogy of picture books ostensibly about ridiculous animals wearing ill-fitting hats. This time around, the animals in question are a pair of sleepy tortoises, the hat is a white cowboy hat, and the setting is the desert just before nightfall. The problem? There's two tortoises but only one hat! How will they decide which one gets the hat (which, hilariously, is too large for either of them) and will they decide without conflict? Readers of the previous two"hat" books may be expecting some cartoonish violence by now, but without giving too much away, the resolution to We Found A Hat is much stranger, and sweeter, than might be expected.]]>Halloween Readshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401758&blogid=1766
I was obsessed with ghost stories when I was a kid, particularly Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark written Alvin Schwartz and ghoulishly illustrated by Stephen Gammell. My love of ghost stories turned into a love of horror movies as I grew up ( The Babadook and It Follows being recent favorites of mine), b]]>CaitAmy2016-10-31T14:51:53ZI was obsessed with ghost stories when I was a kid, particularlyScary Stories to Tell in the Dark written Alvin Schwartz and ghoulishly illustrated by Stephen Gammell. My love of ghost stories turned into a love of horror movies as I grew up (The Babadook and It Followsbeing recent favorites of mine), but there a still a few ghost stories that have kept my interest as an adult:

All of these books are perfect for fall reading and curling up with a blanket (and at my house, a dog or three) when it gets dark. But don’t blame me if you if they keep you awake at night!

]]>Looking for a shorter, high interest book to read?http://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401753&blogid=1766
Try the Rapid reads series! These books are all in the 100-something page range. They are high interest books, geared toward teens and adults that are reluctant readers or looking to improve their reading skills. KPL recently added another great title from this series, The innocence device , about a future wher]]>KristenL2016-10-31T09:41:11ZTry the Rapid reads series! These books are all in the 100-something page range. They are high interest books, geared toward teens and adults that are reluctant readers or looking to improve their reading skills. KPL recently added another great title from this series, The innocence device, about a future where the world is made up of only prisoners and guards. There is overcrowding in one prison, and a machine named the Innocence Device is introduced that supposedly can determine innocence or guilt, with the result being instant freedom or death. Prisoners discover the machine is rigged and riot to claim control of the prison.

]]>The Last Boy and Girl in the Worldhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401736&blogid=1766
The town of Aberdeen is pretty much drowning as the local river waters rise. Residents are caught trying to decide whether to stay and tough it out or stay and leave their home and break up their community. Keely and her friends decide to make the most of what will likely be their last days together in Aberdeen. In the]]>AndreaV2016-10-27T15:49:14ZThe Last Boy in the and Girl in the World is another great teen novel, telling a compelling story and asking questions about the deeper things in life at the same time.]]>Extremes of Masculinityhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401721&blogid=1766
Kent Russell takes the title of his book, I Am Sorry To Think I have Raised a Timid Son , from something Daniel Boone said to his son when he found out he had not volunteered for the military. This son then volunteered and was soon killed in the war.
Boone is just one of the myths of masculinity that Russell ex]]>Steve S2016-10-25T10:05:34ZKent Russell takes the title of his book,I Am Sorry To Think I have Raised a Timid Son, from something Daniel Boone said to his son when he found out he had not volunteered for the military. This son then volunteered and was soon killed in the war.

Boone is just one of the myths of masculinity that Russell explores as he tries to understand his own relationship with his father. He spends time with a self-immunizer for snake bites who is going to try to survive five bites within 24 hours, an ice hockey goon who was known for his toughness and viciousness, the Juggalos who follow the band The Insane Clown Posse, and others.

Well written, funny and insightful. I picked it up browsing the audiobooks and I’m glad I did.

]]>The Inquisitor's Talehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401701&blogid=1766
&#160; Set in 1242 France, this is not your usual novel for
children, but oh, is it remarkable! &#160; Told
through the stories of various people, gathered at an inn, the adventures
unfold with delight, dismay, and despair. &#160;
The Inquisitor’s Tale: or, The
Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog is]]>Susan2016-10-21T09:17:14ZSet in 1242 France, this is not your usual novel for
children, but oh, is it remarkable! Told
through the stories of various people, gathered at an inn, the adventures
unfold with delight, dismay, and despair.The Inquisitor’s Tale: or, The
Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog is a literary gift for readers.

]]>The Nordic theory of everything : in search of a better lifehttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401698&blogid=1766
I picked up this book expecting something completely different than what it actually is. The quick blurb I read about the book said something about how the author had moved from Finland to the United States, and was reflecting on how Nordic attitudes could improve life in the US. I was expecting a light-hearted look at]]>AmyAH2016-10-20T13:49:56ZAnother great thing about this book was the effort she took to seriously consider all of the concerns that Americans have about adopting these types of social programs. For instance, she addresses the concern over higher taxes by comparing real tax rates for people in all income levels.

If you’ve ever looked at taxes, health insurance, college loans, or child care and thought “There has to be a better way”, this book might be for you. ]]>She Stood for Freedomhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401690&blogid=1766
"You can never go wrong by doing what is right. It might not be easy, but it is always right," said Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. She Stood for Freedom is the story of a little-known Civil Rights Hero. Born in 1941, Joan was raised in the segregated southern United States. Because of the different ways that they had ]]>BillC2016-10-19T13:08:16Z"You can never go wrong by doing what is right. It might not be easy, but it is always right," said Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. She Stood for Freedom is the story of a little-known Civil Rights Hero. Born in 1941, Joan was raised in the segregated southern United States. Because of the different ways that they had been socialized, Joan's parents disagreed with each other about segregation. Joan began college at Duke University, her mother's choice. At that time, Duke University was a segregated school - black students weren't allowed to attend. Even so, at this all white institution, some students of conscience including Joan began to connect with black students at other colleges and to help with the civil rights movement in the south.

Joan went on to participate in sit-ins and other demonstrations against businesses and institutions that discriminated against people because of race. After a Freedom Riders bus was bombed in May, 1961, she joined the Freedom Rides movement protesting discrimination in interstate travel. For these actions, Joan and others who had traveled to Mississippi to help were arrested and was imprisoned at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. When she was released, she remained in Mississippi where she was admitted to attend Tougaloo College. Unlike segregated Duke University, Tougaloo was a primarily-black school. Because Tougaloo was the rare place in Mississippi where people could gather together regardless of the color of their skin, it was an institution that provided a venue for writers, musicians, and speakers who were also involved in the civil rights movement.

The brutality that Joan and to a greater extent many of her compatriots experienced at a sit-in at a lunch counter in Jackson, Mississippi, is documented in photographs from those events and others. The book includes other primary sources including a letter from the Superintendent of Parchman Penitentiary to Joan’s parents that reflects the institutional racism in the prison system. A younger readers’ picture book edition tells the story without as many details or primary sources. It seems like it would have been easy for Joan, with her privileged background, to step back from doing what she knew was right. She continued down a path of non-violent organizing and action that helped in the passage of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. Joan went on to raise a family and to work as a teacher’s assistant in Virginia. Her son, Loki Mulholland, is a filmmaker and wrote this biography. His film,An Ordinary Hero, tells his mother's story and is featured at the National Civil Rights Museum.

]]>American Treasureshttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401678&blogid=1766
December 26, 1941: “He wouldn’t fully relax until the B &amp; O National Limited reached its final destination the following morning, but the fact that the train was leaving Washington, D.C., carrying its cargo, accompanied by two of his finest agents, was a promising milestone in the mission.”
So what was on the ]]>AnnR2016-10-18T08:00:38ZDecember 26, 1941: “He wouldn’t fully relax until the B & O National Limited reached its final destination the following morning, but the fact that the train was leaving Washington, D.C., carrying its cargo, accompanied by two of his finest agents, was a promising milestone in the mission.”

I won’t say this is a page-turner but the back stories about these three documents and how they came to be, is quite interesting as are the efforts to protect, preserve, and appropriately display them over the years.

The importance of these documents seems especially relevant in this season of political rancor. I have renewed, deeper appreciation and respect for the founding fathers and the documents they drafted.

]]>Dog Lost- Humanity Foundhttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401667&blogid=1766
Pauls Toutonghi's "Dog Gone: A Lost Pet's Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home" is the beautifully written true account of one family's life prior to their son's losing his spirited dog, Gonker, and what transpires during the ensuing search for him.
Gonker is a six-year old golden retriever mix]]>TeresaM-R2016-10-15T09:39:32ZPauls Toutonghi's "Dog Gone: A Lost Pet's Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home" is the beautifully written true account of one family's life prior to their son's losing his spirited dog, Gonker, and what transpires during the ensuing search for him.

Gonker is a six-year old golden retriever mix who on Saturday, October 10, 1998 is hiking the Appalachian Trail with his best friend Fielding Marshall when, without any warning, he bolts into the woods. Fielding calls and calls for his dog to return, but to no avail; Gonker simply vanishes into the surrounding wilderness.

The book is not only about the meticulous search that the family conducts for their beloved dog(who happens to be especially fond of fresh doughnuts), but also delves into the lives of each member of the Marshall family-father John, mother Ginny, sister Peyton and of course, Fielding. Author Toutonghi becomes immersed in their story. He probes deeply into their family history, highlighting both it's good and ugly faces. He also examines the strong bind between canines and humans from various historical, literary, psychological and philosophical perspectives.

To heighten the tension of the search narrative, it is revealed that Gonker suffers from Addison's disease which requires him to receive an injection every twenty-three days.The author then counts down the days to Gonker's demise at the beginning of each chapter in the final third of the book.

Great read! I thoroughly enjoyed it! This is a great title to pick up in October which, as it turns out, happens to be "Adopt a Shelter Dog Month". So, plunge yourself into this wonderfully heartfelt true story of humans and their relationship with their pets. Then, if you should get inspired, go out and adopt a new four-legged canine friend from any one of the following local animal welfare organizations: Animal Rescue,Animal Control Shelter, SPCA, Animal's Best Friend, Richland Animal Rescue, etc.

Who knows, maybe as with some members of the Marshall family, the life you end up saving just may be your own.

]]>Girl Mans Uphttp://www.kpl.gov/blog/Default.aspx?id=15032401666&blogid=1766
Girl Mans Up is a teen book by M-E Girard about Pen, a girl who just doesn't fit in the way people want her to. She has to navigate the normal challenges of high school, which include supporting a new friend through an accidental pregnancy, figuring out her changing relationships with her guy friends, and dating for ]]>ElyseM2016-10-14T12:51:51ZGirl Mans Up is a teen book by M-E Girard about Pen, a girl who just doesn't fit in the way people want her to. She has to navigate the normal challenges of high school, which include supporting a new friend through an accidental pregnancy, figuring out her changing relationships with her guy friends, and dating for the first time. In addition, she is living the truth of her gender identity and sexuality, while fighting the intense disapproval of her traditional Portuguese parents and others at school and in public. Pen's honest, funny, and thoughtful perspective drew me into this novel, and the other characters were just as interesting. Pick Pen for your new favorite LGBTQ/teen protagonist.]]>